When people ask me what I am most nervous about –there is one thing that comes to mind. It is not finding a new place to live, trying to figure out a new culture, meeting new friends, even figuring out how to go grocery shopping. These things may provide some difficulties, but I am confident I will figure those out eventually. No, the thing that concerns me the most is driving: on a different side of the car, on a different side of the road. You know the saying, it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks? Well, I have been driving for 21 plus years, it is hard to think of reversing a lot of the things you do naturally while driving. I love hopping in my minivan, (yes, with cheerios in the crevices and splatters of milk on the seat in front of my toddler) and knowing with confidence that I can get to where I need to be. My husband recently got us a Garmin and filled it with maps of the UK. This will help me figure out HOW to get where I am going, but learning the new road signs, which all seem so confusing to me, figuring out how to navigate a roundabout, of which there are plenty, while keeping the car on the left side of the road, while I am sitting on the right side of the car, just overwhelms me. After talking to another expat recently, she said to me –it’s not so bad, you just figure it out. Take a look at the road sign in this post –anyone have any idea what to do when you see this one? Me neither!
On a side note, things are coming along as we get ready for the move. My husband is about to finalize his temporary housing arrangements, and I think we have settled the school issue for now. Next up –finding a place for us to live for the next two years!
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