I’ve been sitting on a draft version of this post for over a week.  I have had trouble deciding  if the theme should be: a) look at all of the fun things we did while we were visiting the good ole US of A, or b) a diatribe about how I can’t believe a medium Coke at Wendy’s is 30 ounces and I definitely don’t miss THAT about America.Neither one of those topics is that interesting so instead,  I think I’m going to keep it simple and just answer the questions that nearly every single person asked us.

1. Do you miss the US?

Not really.  I mean, yes, it was a sweet moment when we finally emerged from the Indianapolis airport to the muggy Midwestern summer.  All of those cheesy idioms about home being where the heart is felt sweet and true in that moment.  I also hated New York City with a rage I’ve never experienced when we had to deal with rush hour subway traffic with luggage just when all of the credit card machines went down.  Keeping it classy NYC, like always.  But I guess the real reason why I don’t miss the US too much is that it honestly doesn’t feel very far away.

The biggest benefit of all when it comes to frequent travel is that the world feels much smaller.  I know that I can make it from my front door to my parents’ front door in just about 12 hours, including two flights and two hour-long car rides.  And frankly, we’re just in the UK where most of US culture is pretty readily available.  I just binged watched Orange is the New Black.  Clearly I’m not missing much.

2. If you do miss anything, what do you miss?

American-style brunch.  Pancakes (honestly, pancakes aren’t even my favourite thing, but once they’re gone all I can see is the gaping hole in the breakfast menu).  Driving.  US Food Network (there is a UK Food Network, but it’s not the same).  Cheap clothes.  Cheap restaurants.  Cheap anything.  The way that books and movies typically come out in the US before the UK (particularly books) so it takes a while for the library to carry books I want to read.

3. Will you ever come home?

Of course.  We’re only visitors to this lovely country and our welcome will wear out in three short years.  We’ll see if my company tries to extend the placement or has an idea of a new position, but nothing has been talked about even a little bit.  And you already know my feelings about distance (see point above re: 12 hours to fly around the world).

4. What do you like better about the UK than the US?

Higher quality meat, dairy products, and eggs.  The weather (compared to NYC summers and Maine winters).  The distance to the rest of Europe.  Our neighbourhood (compared to any other neighbourhood I’ve lived in).  Watching the World Cup in a country that cares a LOT.

5. But don’t you miss your family?  And friends?

Yes!  But I’m used to missing people a lot.  I haven’t lived near my family for going on 15 years.  And I’ve been missing my friends in Maine for two years already.  I take my friend and family time very, very seriously.  And I’ll be seeing my mom and my aunt in less than two months in Hungary.  Plus, my brother-in-law is visiting right this second.  So I miss people about the same amount that I always have, but thankfully, we have lots of visitors.

6. Does Basil like the UK?

Hell yes.  We brought him back to his motherland.  Yesterday he found a BBQ rib on the sidewalk and I let him chew on it for a while.  He also has seen lots of new animals – foxes, horses, llamas, sheep.  He can stand on the floor and look out the front window because it’s so low to the ground.

7. What was it like to move Basil?

Terrible and I hope to never have to do it again.  See my lengthy post about moving pets here.

8. When are you coming back for another visit?

Right now, the plan is to be in the States for Christmas and again next June for a good friends’ wedding.  We’ll do our best to hop around like this time around!