8/24/11

Gains and Losses - Pt. 1

I have been in the good Ole US of A almost 6 years now and an American for a year this week, so I thought I'd take a tongue in cheek look at what I have lost and gained during that time.

First the losses:

3 teeth! Seriously, I lost on average 1 every 15 months when I first got here and it's not like I don't take care of them, I'm actually a qualified Dental Assistant. It was just a combo of continued issues from the UK and then an especially nasty accident where I fell flat on my face and broke a front tooth, well a crown but it resulted in a VERY costly implant. For awhile I began to wonder if there was something in the Okie water.

Bacon Butties - to understand the full impact of this on a Brit go HERE

Some body weight, probably due in part to the above, but also see Pt.2.

Traffic and all I have to say about that is "THANK YOU GOD".

A cat called Felix, who stayed behind with neighbours who loved him very much and gave him a great home.

A Water Butt, for those not in the know that's not a physical affliction, it's a very 'green' rainwater recycling receptacle much loved in England. I have yet to see one here in what's currently the new mid-west desert area known as Okieland.

Umbrella usage, for much the same reasons as above. Although I did import 3 with me just in case when I moved here, it's not easy seperating a Brit from their trusty umbrella. Having said that, I have yet to use one of them as it's either: unbelievably windy, crazy lightening or totally mad rain as Okieland only seems to do severe weather.

Football (Soccer) fever of the nationalistic kind only seen in European countries, I'm not sure anyone here gets the true significance of Manchester United's influence on the World.

Snake free rambles across the countryside, these days it's all too fraught with potential danger for any possible pleasure to be gained.

Walkers Cheese & Onion Crisps, nuff said if you're a Brit.

Pubs, the bars over here are just not the same in either appearance or atmosphere.

The metric system and this is another 'thank god' moment, as I am of the age where I was right on the cusp of the changeover and I just never did.

Close proximity to the Sea, probably the loss I feel the most, that's not family oriented. Brits have a percentage of seawater in their veins I think due to being an island nation and I miss the ability to just go and sit by the sea hugely. If I ever do make it to the seaside here, I am likely to make a spectacle of myself running in fully clothed and dancing with joy.

The use of the word A-L-U-M-I-N-I-U-M, although I do have fun confusing the Yanks occasionally with this one ;-)

Stress free gardening, I have had to learn it all over again moving to an entirely different climate and eco-system. However I am starting to feel better as many of my gardening friends here seem to suffer the same stresses I do and there's some comfort in this.

Historic architecture around every corner. I find it hard to get even slightly excited about something that's less then 150-years old, coming from England.

Indian Curry. I have to drive 3 hours to find one and occasionally do.

Small bugs. Seriously people what is up with bugs over here, are they on speed or something?

Shopping in London on my doorstep, OKC just ain't quite the same.

British humour, nobody else really gets it.

Hats (not cowboy), people just don't wear hats here like they do in England.

Next up the gains, good and bad.

18 comments:

Laura said...

Ohh... I smiled reading this... nodded, read them out aloud to the hubby... Boy, do I share your losses (even the teeth... what's with that??)... However, one stipulation of living here in the USA, was that I was next to the ocean. I look forward to reading the gains! Lx

Daryl said...

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Iota said...

What an absolutely brilliant list. Laughed at the idea of a water butt being a physical ailment!

Anonymous said...

I also live in the Midwest, but not in Oklahoma. Most everyone I know has a rain barrel or what you call a water butt.

Elizabeth

Expat mum said...

Great list. Re the water butts - I thought about having one up in Chicago, but you know what they say about mosquitoes and standing water. Not a good combo.

And re the umbrellas - i find that when it rains, it thunders and lightenings' too (if that's a verb). The lightening is really dangerous too, so you tend to just stay indoors.

Brown English Muffin said...

OMG you had me at Walker Crisps but then when I scrolled down to Indian Curry you had me 100%...we have to travel near and far for Indian around here...and just as I find one and get to love it, it ups and closes because the demand for the area isn't great enough!!!

Sherri said...

Sarah, that is some list! I'm glad you decided to come and live with us in the US and to become a citizen!!

Stella Jones said...

I could add to that but won't! Odd about the teeth though! Did you start grinding them together perhaps??

Anonymous said...

Being in Hawaii, I would miss the ocean the most. Nope, Oklahoma isn't for me.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

A nice pub here would be great as would a snake free ramble. You always have to keep an eye out here. And yes, we don't get Manchester United nor British humor.

Unknown said...

OMG Daryl, I,oved you already but now I love youeven more LOL!!

UKMUMINUSA said...

OMG love the list and yes I have lost 2 teeth since living here, snakes: stood on one last month!!! which puts me off doing the gardening! Prawn cocktail crisps, miss them, don't get me started about food, but I have a great chicken tikka masala recipe that goes down well with a number of british friends over here.

Travel With Lulu said...

This is fantastic - your losses are my gains (well, not the teeth part). Great list

Unknown said...

Great list, I can't wait to see the other half.

George said...

I'm also looking forward to Part 2. I hope it is just as long -- I'd hate for you to permanently head back to the other side of the pond.

Linda Reeder said...

I hate to inform you of this now, but if you had moved to Seattle, you could still have had much of your list - well, not the bacon thing, but the gardening, in the rain, hence the use of umbrellas, brew pubs that are similar to England, and we are quite crazy about soccer here, too, and had a recent visit by Man U. Oh, and no poisonous snakes.

Robin said...

Yowza! When you're back, you're really back, and I'm loving it!

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