I’m flying home for a few days tomorrow. I don’t really need to go home. I’m not missing the weather, the culture, the food or anything else, not yet. But I do miss my friends. I miss my girlfriends who have supported me in the move to the US, who have shown that wherever I am in the world, they will email, text or phone and support me. So, I want to go home, just for a few days, check in with them and say thank you for being there. We’ll sit in Costa Coffee in Salisbury, order a latte, chat endlessly and catch up.
One of the toughest things about moving has been not having my friends around me or my support network, especially a support network of mums.
I started my blog as an outlet for my experiences, I didn’t really expect anyone to read it, it was more for me than anyone else. But because of my blog I’ve discovered there is a wonderful expat blogging community and I now read the posts of other British Mums living in the US, Bosnia, and all over the world. I’ve also been featured on ExpatMumsBlog.com a great site for expat mum bloggers.
Another great site I’ve come across is Expatify, a directory of all expat blogs listed by country. It’s a great place to start when you’re looking for people to follow and compare experiences.
Calif Lorna has also given me the opportunity to meet Orange County mom bloggers. Suz Broughton and Marcy Massura invited me to join Blog Crush, a local group of mom bloggers and this in turn has led to me being invited to blog for OC Family, a magazine and web site for Orange County families. I’ll be blogging over there as well as on my own blog. I think my stories there will have more of an Orange County focus and if you’re wondering how I ended up in the wonderful Orange County in the first place, I’ve explained it all there.
This week we had the opportunity to chat on OC Family Radio with some of the other women that have joined their network of Orange County mom bloggers. It’s an amazing list of women, I’m honored to be a part of it.
Friendships change and grow over the years, so for me it’s been a fascinating time, keeping up with my friends from the UK and developing new relationships. I have my blog to thank for that. It’s something completely unexpected.
{ 8 comments }
So true. The blog opens up so many new avenues of friendships and contacts. I don’t know what I would do without it!
Have a great time. Stock up on marmite and stuff and have a great chin wag with all those old friends. I’m jealous. x
Well done you, getting to blog for OC Family. And yes, blogging is a real door opener, if you let it be.
Fortified with irony! Love it!
Funny but the friends I chat with on the phone most are my UK friends – even after 19 years.
I have made many “blog” friends through my blog. I agree the friends who had growing up in the UK are not the same as the ones you make in the country you live in now.
We’ve been in Canada for 20 years, and although I have friends, I don’t have super close friends, not like I had in the UK. No regrets though in coming to Canada.
Gill in Canada
I love that blogging opens us up to many more friends. I’d never have met you otherwise
Hi Lorna, I found your blog a while back via your husband’s blog – I am in Salisbury and will be emigrating to California next year so I enjoyed reading. Here via BMB today and I just wanted to say thank you for your post at OCFamily about how you ended up in Ca. I’m worried about moving and it’s good to hear how much you enjoy it.
I discovered your blog when a friend linked me to your video about people misunderstanding your accent! I am an American who has recently moved back to the US after 3 years in the UK for my husband’s PhD work. We LOVED our time there, and it has been difficult to move back. Reading your blog has been like bits of therapy for me when I just need to connect with the UK. Thanks!
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