I love being in England, though I'd be hard-pressed to tell you why. After all, it's crowded, expensive, cold, and wet. But I've been thinking about this and realized, while I do love the history and architecture, the Thames, and even the accents, what really attracted me is its...foreignness.
Taken individually, the differences between American and English culture are petty, often more annoying than interesting. But collectively, they constantly challenge my assumptions, my experiences, and my point of view. I could cite hundreds of examples, but that wouldn't help you understand how I feel at the end of each day, knowing I've learned something new, or just recognized that what I thought of as a constant was just a convention.
But what I really feel at the end of the day is privileged, and lucky, to be living here, and am looking forward to everything the new year brings. (And I expect it to bring a great many things.)
Jessica is taking me to Wales for the new year (a steam train through Snowdonia--how cool is that?) but I want to wish everyone a safe and happy new year!
No comments:
Post a Comment