Bout #2

Homesickness. I admit it. I thought I was over the hump until the 3 month mark! It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm in for another round of almost debilitating hay fever and am still not getting enough sleep despite having a lot to catch up on. Still. And it's a lot of effort to start new with a lot of people. I'm sensitive to criticism and have less patience than I did to begin with, again it's probably tiredness. If you could see my eyes right now you'd be horrified - they're bloodshot and watery, and the skin underneath is black and newly burnt red. At least I have some non drowsy hay fever tablets now. So cheap here - 4 pounds for 30 which is like $6.60. Anyway.

There are little things about British people that I don't get, and things that I'm scared I don't know. Sometimes people talk really fast or the conversation moves in a way that is bizarre. So many times I've gone to step to the left to get out of someone's way and they've stepped the same way. It's not like that hasn't happened in to me Australia, but it's little things like that that make me feel so alien. At the moment I'm feeling like I won't stay any longer after my visa, and it's a silly thing to dwell on because I need to work hard and invest while I'm here. Let me explain myself - before I left, I wasn't sure what would happen and I was open to whatever. I never made it my plan to find a spouse or a job which was unlikely anyhow, and that would be a stupid reason to uproot my entire life, but now I'm almost positive it won't happen and that's fine. So I'm thinking about where I'll live when I go back. How I want to be close to my family but living my own life as well... You're thinking YES!! That's good! I know, but not when I still have a long time here. I need to love the people I'm with and wake up in the morning glad to be where I am.

Oh, another thing, they have pennies which is like using 1c pieces! It's so weird getting change here for something that ends in 99p since there's no rounding off like there is in Australia. They call a mohawk (hairdo) a mohican. I still get confused with 'pants', which are undies to us. Little Miss came downstairs yesterday laughing saying that her brother "just had pants on..." I thought, so what? That does remind me though that some English menfolk, however old, will go without a shirt even on cloudy days. If it's even a bit warm, off it comes. Tiling a pavement or a roof? Sitting in the park? Playing football? Just walking along? 17 degrees with a chance of rain later? Gotta take every opportunity.

Wimbledon is the talk of the town at the moment, it's a pity I don't give a damn.

I still have most of my holidays to organise! Any ideas? I wish I had someone to go with but I know it will be fun and educating (for want of a better word) on my own too.