After being in London for a few weeks, we had to make a trip back to the States (to Boston) to get our visas. It was the first time we had set foot on US land for a number of months. It felt good. Coincidentally, it was the 4th of July holiday weekend so there was definitely a feeling of patriotism about us. We partook in some great all American leisure including a b-ball game at Fenway and grilling out with friends on the 4th.
Now we are settling into life in London. We were lucky to snag a great flat in Notting Hill – lucky because the rental market is very competitive right now and we wanted to get out of corporate housing as quickly as possible (as did Brent’s company want to stop paying for our corporate housing as quickly as possible). Since we came over without much, we needed a furnished flat (which is pretty common over here anyway). One interesting difference is that rent is charged by the week instead of by the month, which works out better for the landlord on longer months, of course.
Brent is getting accustomed to his new job and likes it so far. His office is located near the hubbub of Oxford Circus in the Carnaby shopping area. He takes the Central Line tube directly there – about 30 minutes door to door. The weather has been great so far, which has made the transition easier. Katie is busy exploring all the different pockets of London. There are so many beautiful neighborhoods, each with a distinct charm.
As for adjusting to life in a foreign country? One nice thing about London is that it is so diverse and it feels like everyone is from somewhere else, so in a weird way we fit right in. As expected, it’s the everyday things that take some getting used to, like the small size of our refrigerator (grocery shopping will be daily) and the washer/dryer unit that takes 4-5 hours per load. Brent found out it’s a 4-hour commitment to go hit golf balls outside the city and of course there are differences in the work culture. We are enjoying getting used to a whole new vocabulary: “jumper” (pronounced “jumpa”) for sweater, “trousers” for pants (“pants” are underpants), and “rubbage” for garbage.
