1. When someone says football you don't automatically think of that game with the oblong ball.
2. You no longer have to think twice about which way the traffic is coming from (even if you still don't like crossing the road).
3. When someone says something that sounds made up, you no longer think to yourself that they are speaking jibberish...even if you still have to ask them what the word means (the 'Yorkshire accent' is a whole different story).
4. You begin explaining where you come from by picking a geographic area because you know no one knows where your state is....for example Ohio is by the great lakes.
5. You finally understand the currency and can tell the difference between the massive amount of coins they use (1 penny, 2 p, 5 p, 10 p, 20 p, 50 p, 1 pound, 2 pounds --yep all coins).
6. You start incorporating words into everyday use that you would never normally use such as Lovely, brilliant and wellies (along with that whole list of words I've been keeping track of in my English as a Second Language section)
7. You know where to find eggs in the store (hint - not anywhere near the refrigerated section).
8. You never assume you know what the weather is like by looking our your window....and you never assume the weather will be the same as the day progresses.
9. You are more surprised to see a blue sky than a cloudy one.
10. When someone asks if you are alright you don't wonder exactly what it is that could be wrong and instead cheerfully reply, "Yes and how are you?"
Ways you know you haven't quite gotten there yet:
1. Someone still finds something to tell you that is so different from what you expect that it shocks you...such as the fact that there are no outlets in bathrooms here. Something I didn't notice until it was pointed out to me.
2. You can find the eggs but some other groceries you still have trouble with (could be because some of them don't exist here).
3. You still feel like you are living in a Jane Austin novel or a fairytale.
4. You still chuckle to yourself when someone says something is far away and it's only an hour drive.
5. You watch t.v. buuuut you are usually watching American shows.
6. You still aren't sure how to react when someone says 'I love Americans'....do you say thank you? do you ask why? do you just nod, smile, and continue on?
7. When someone asks you if you would like to try some sort of food that you have absolutely no idea what it is, you debate in your head whether to take a chance that it will be something you recognize or if you should ask what is in it (like in the case of black pudding -- pig's blood, yummy *said while trying not to make too much of a face and not succeeding. It's a good thing Paul and Ruth are so nice and tolerate my squeamish stomach).
8. You still find it amusing to sit in the front passenger seat of cars here and not be driving.
9. Some poor child asks you for something at school and you have no idea what they are saying...for all you know they could be speaking a different language...that is until they ask the teacher and she knows exactly what they want....sigh, more words for my English as a Second Language section.
10. You still aren't quite sure how people come up with some of these Proper Nouns for places and have to occasionally scratch your head in wonder.
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| Taking a break from walking with Angie |
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