Week Update

On Saturday I gave my first Rotary speech here in the UK! And I think it went really well! First, no technical problems, which was a big relief (as much as I love my still-newish MacBook, it isn't always so cooperative with PC-orientated external equipment like projectors!). I had re-worked some of the content of the speech, and I think it went over well. It's hard to give a speech about the US to people who have often visited the country and already have their own idea of what it's like. I want to provide an inside, non-stereotypical look at my country, so I focused on my hometown and my family. I shared photos of Gig Harbor- lots of photos. Mainly ones showing all the water. Oh, how I miss the water. :-)

The question that I expected to get I did get... and I still don't really have an answer to it! The question was: What, good or bad, has surprised you in your time here? Well, what I said was that I was surprised that so much surprises me. It's true! I was expecting everything to feel familiar. Never did I anticipate that the small differences would surprise me. I still haven't adjusted to looking to the right instead of the left when crossing the street. I get frustrated every time I walk into a supermarket needing to buy one or two specific things and I still don't know exactly where to look, and I have no idea what the packaging will look like. And I still can't find an equivalent to American tomato sauce. It's not spaghetti sauce! Nor is it paste! :-) I like the price of peppers, as I've told several of my British friends. They're often 3 for 1 pound... which, even with the exchange rate, is wayyyy cheaper than home. I prefer the taste of chicken in the US to here. I know, it sounds totally weird, but it's different here. Same with ground (mince) beef. There's so many different choices here, and none of the ones I've tried are the same as home. Not bad, but different. These are a few of the minor differences I've noticed. There are many more serious differences I've noticed when interacting with people from around the world- keep in mind, most of my time is spent with international students- the people from my course, and the people who live in my building. And my cultural sensitivity has been tested many a time. There are things people will say or ways people will act that still surprise me, and not in a positive way. And I work through them.

Someone asked me recently if I missed home. Of course I do, but what can you do in this situation but make the best of it? The only thing I can think of is to spend time with my new friends, throw myself into my studies and travel! I miss home, and I know I will even more on Thanksgiving when I'm not in the kitchen making corn casserole, delicious mashed potatoes (cream cheese is the key, folks!!!), and standing in the driveway with a cell phone just waiting to call 911 should dad slip and fall into the turkey fryer. :-)

25 days until my Mom arrives to visit, and 31 days until my Dad and sister arrive!!! Christmas together in London. :-) I better get back to work on essays so I can actually spend some quality time with them!