Homesick? Who, me?
I love it here. I really do. I miss my family and friends, of course, my UU congregation, my Renaissance choir, and certain aspects of life in the US (as well as products I can’t get in the UK, such as Neosporin ointment and Duke’s Mayonnaise). But I love the university. I love the charm of the accents, the castles, the priories, the old city centres… And I certainly don’t miss DC’s heat!
Every once in a while someone asks me if I ever get homesick. I generally say no, not really, except that I miss certain aspects.
Yesterday changed my answer. Last night, I wanted Fourth of July fireworks.
I’m not in love with any of the rest of the celebration: I detest pops music and all of the starry-eyed nationalistic talk that usually accompanies this holiday. Despite all its flaws, however, I love my country, and I wanted to celebrate its birthday by watching Fourth of July fireworks. I missed being where I had many choices of how to do that.
I had to settle for sparklers and Facebook. A friend from the States has been visiting for the past few days, and we went out and lit sparklers in my front garden. Then we came inside and she put on Simon and Garfunkel. This morning I scrolled through my FB friends’ posts about last night’s fireworks (some of which — the ones in California, eight hours behind the UK — were still going on when I got up), and felt nostalgic.
Now I’m back to my normal life in the UK. (After writing this post, that is.) I have an appointment this morning and an early train tomorrow, and although this coming week is for joy and renewal (I’ll be singing the music of my heart all week), I will take with me my laptop, a book or two, and a number of research papers. I will continue my inexorable progress toward my PhD.
At least, I hope it’s inexorable.
Posted on 5 July 2013, in Feelings, Living. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Leisurely Seeking Doctorate 
England grows on you, as you’ll undoubtedly find out. Its secret charm erodes nostalgia (in its literal sense). Let’s see how you will answer the same question in 3 years time. How long will it be before you decide that it’s no longer worth going back or even looking back. When you hear Geordie accents in your dreams and see cars driving on the correct side of the road, you will be at the tipping point :-)
As long as I have family and friends there (not to mention conferences), it will be worth going back. :-)
Looking back is quite another story.
As for cars: I am profoundly right-handed. As long as I have to shift gears with my left hand, I will consider myself to be on the wrong side of the car. :P
Elizabeth, I felt yesterday the same sentiments you express in reverse. I’m homesick for Romania and my friends and family there. It comes with working for State, of course, and it’s something we sign up for when we join whether we know it or not at the time. It was wonderful to see the parade yesterday in my little town in Maine, but it felt strange not to be at the ambassador’s residence with an assigned work task. (Last year I distributed fans to the guests and then was a designated dancer.) Fireworks? There was an impromtu small display here yesterday but nothing to rival New Year’s in Bucharest viewed from almost anywhere in the city. I, too, am feeling nostalgic, and you have now set Simon and Garfunkel to playing in my head.