The paperwork for my Duel Citizenship has come through! I now go to a ceremony to accept it, which I will be doing at the end of October. Then I can get my British Passport! I am excited. Duel Citizenship is kinda fun to think about.
Even though on a day to day basis, it doesn’t make much difference to my living, it does mean Evan and I have the choice of living in the UK or America and travelling in the EU will be much easier!
Where does the time go? Yesterday was August 15th and suddenly today it is September 16th. How did that happen?
Job - Great
Sam’s football games - Great (3-1) but they only got beat because the team was a division above Lapel.
Car - Great. But it does have to go in and be looked at, the battery seems low, but it might be a spark plug
Weather - Great. I love the weather we have been having, I would guess it is in the mi-70’s, just perfect!
Cats - Great. William caught a chipmunk and DESPERATELY wanted to bring it in the house. It is the first time he has caught anything that I am aware of, so it makes me wonder if it was sick or old or something.
We got a call today about 3pm. Our car has been totaled. They are sending a tow truck tomorrow and will also let us know how much money they are giving us to replace the car.
I am sad that we spent so much time choosing a good, reliable, practical car, in good condition, fully loaded and three weeks later I hit a deer and write it off. The concord had everything in it, electric seats, black leather interior, all the gadits you could want. I am frustrated that I have to go used car shopping again so soon. Mostly because when you buy used, you never know what you are getting, and the Concord was really great. I am sad, because I never even got around to naming the Concord.
However, now that we have had some time to think about what we want in a car, we might go for something very different, and it is nice to realise we want something different and have the chance to change our mind.
Ok, so I here is the thing. I drive an hour to work every day. It is 60 miles each way, so I drive 120 miles per day, 5 days a week. It is actually a really quick trip because it is all highway and interstate, so I put on cruise, turn the radio up loud on the ‘Oldies’ station (the best of the 60’s & 70’s), sing along and just drive.
Everyone keeps commenting on the long drive and the price of gas. So, here it goes.
Driving in America is EASY compared to England. The roads I used to to drive were crazy…narrow - enough to only fit one car; very curvey - enough to make you car sick, even when you are the one driving; and for the most part hilly - I couldn’t stay in one gear for more than a minute or two at a time.
Plus, I used to drive 15 miles each way (and it took 30 minutes). So, I only used to drive 30 miles a day. And, do you want to know what I spent on gas? 65 GBP (Great Britain Pounds) in money.
Here, I drive 120 miles A DAY and I spend about $100 in gas a week. THERE IS NO COMPARISON. So please, don’t ask me if I am worried about the price of gas, or if I am concerned about driving that far each day, or tell me I should get a more fuel effecient car.
In England I drove a 2.0 litre engine in a Ford Focus. IT WAS FUEL EFFECIENT and look how much I paid in gas. And for those of you who don’t know the exchange rate, I was spending around $130-140 to drive an average of 350 miles per tank. Yes, ONE tank of gas that got 300-350 miles. It was a 10 gallon tank. (Yes, that is right it cost me $130 for 10 gallons of gas.)
So please, go back and read yesterdays post about the car I want to buy and when I say it is a Mustang GT with a V8 engine and gas guzzling…to me, it is NOTHING!!! So, the more I think about it, the more I hope my car gets written off and I can buy that Mustang and guzzle the gas to my hearts content. 
The insurance company sent out a Loss Adjuster today to look at the car. He said it would be really close to whether it was written off or would be fixed. He said he had to take the details back to the office and put them into the system which would give estimates of the costs of fixing things. He will then send that report to the insurance company, who will then decide if it is cheaper to give us a set amount of $ to get a new car, or to send it to the garage to be fixed.
I am torn. We just spent two weeks looking at and choosing the car we thought would last us the next few years. We tried to be wise about gas mileage, comfort, practicality, expense and ease of replacing parts…all the things to think about when choosing a car. We chose practical, with lots of comfort, since I drive 120 miles a day. But the Concord still got decent gas mileage, I averaged 27-28 miles per gallon in it. So, I would love to have the car fixed. And anyway, who wants to start car shopping all over again…walking around in 100% sunshine on a black top car lot, sitting in HOT cars, trying to decide while a sales man stares over your shoulder…no fun at all.
On the other hand, I don’t think I want to drive a car that has been pretty badly messed up. When the adjuster opened the hood, it took Evan and him to do it, and everything was mushed up against the engine. Plus, I have been thinking about cars and nearly convinced myself that we don’t really NEED a practical car at the moment. We have a truck that can haul stuff around, we don’t have kids yet, or have much need to be able to carry 5 people. Yes, the Concord is nice, but I can get a much COOLER car that will get 25 mpg, still hold 4 people if needed, but just be much more fun to drive. I’m 26, I should have a fun car!
I’m not going to reveal anything yet, because if the car isn’t totalled and we get it back, I don’t want to be too heartbroken (I would say disappointed, but I never know how to spell it, so heartbroken was much easier…and yes, dad, I had to use spellchecker on that).
Anyway, if the car is totalled, you might see me driving something very different to a Chrysler Concord. Graham….you should be hoping that the car is totalled, you definitely want me to pick you up at the airport in my other choice of car! 
Following on from my sisters blog a few days ago about TCK’s I have a few more thoughts.
First, let me define a TCK or Third Culture Kid:
A Third culture Kid is someone who’s parents are from one culture (America) and you live in another culture (UK) so therefore create your own culture - a blend of the two - a third culture.
Now, let me rant for a while and excuse me for it, but I need to vent.
Here are some things you should never say to a TCK when they re-enter their parents culture:
1) Welcome "Back Home"
2) Welcome "Back"
3) Welcome "Home"
OR
1) Are you glad to be "Home"
2) Are you glad to be "Back"
3) Are you excited to be "Back Home"
The answer I have been dying to give is simple. NO. This is not home and I am not BACK HOME, I have never lived here before in my life.
The one thing you can guarentee about a TCK and the one thing that no-one other than a TCK can understand is a TCK never feels at HOME anywhere. I realised this again today, when my 16 year old brother who has been back in America for 6 or 7 years now, told me that he still is referred to as the English kid at school.
Or, when my 25 year old brother who has lived in California for the last 5 or 6 years told me, I am not FROM California, I just LIVED there.
In three weeks of being in America, today for the first time, someone asked if we (Evan and I) were ready to be back in England. I wanted to kiss the man…and I had never met him before. Of course I want to be back in England (and I want to be here). Both places are home and both places are where I am from, but I have spent a great deal more time in England than in America, so to assume that in 3 simple weeks, I would be feeling "at home" that is just not going to happen. I expect in three years, I still won’t feel like this is home.
My home, I must say, is where Evan and I live together. Because I never feel quite as at home as I do when Evan and I are most comfortable and I know without a doubt that for the rest of my life that will be the one thing that remains consistent.
This week we have had our good friends Samantha and Shane visiting us. Today we headed to York. Towards the end of our day there, it seemed to hit me that this was my last week to get in everything ‘English’. I kinda panicked, thinking I somehow needed to represent my life in England with something I could buy. When I couldn’t find anything, I started taking pictures. I got a few shots that I thought were pretty good at representing some of the culture and/or typical scenes in everyday life.
This first shot is of two lads in school uniform, throwing a ruby ball back and forth to each other while waiting for the bus. They are standing right next to a post box…how much more ‘English’ can you get??!!
The next is a shot of a row of terrace houses with their brightly coloured front doors.
Next, is a tea room I spotted as we waited to catch the Park n Ride bus back to the car.
Lastly, is this ultimate classic scene. Around 4 in the afternoon, the sun came out and it got really warm outside. As we crossed the bridge over the river Ouse, I spotted The Slug and Lettuce, the great pub chain. Outside, it was packed with late afternoon sunbathers. In the English summer, sunbathing outside a pub on a river/canal is all you need!
I had my last day of work yesterday
I taught the girls at Mercy for the last time too
I realised on my way home that it would probably be the last time I would drive the beautiful backroads to Mercy
Mercy has been a great place to work. I talked to our director for a long time on Thursday, which was really great. The women I have worked with for the last 2 years have helped me grow, have challenged me, encouraged me, let me be me on my good and my bad days. We have grown as a team. It was the first job I have ever had that promoted me and saw potential in me when I thought there was no way I was ready for some of the tasks required of me. So, to the ladies at MMUK, you are amazing. Thanks for the last couple of years! I love you all!!
