There are certain experiences and feelings that somehow help me to measure my rate of adaptation to a new place. I can clearly remember the first time I referred to our house in Peru, and now our flat in Scotland, as "home." The first time I woke up in the night and was not confused (though still in that mid-night daze) about where I was signified an encouraging level of adaption to my surroundings. Though these internal adaptations do no happen quickly, they do happen more quickly than the social adaptations that go along with settling in to a new place. But that makes it all the more enjoyable when the social markers come along.
This morning I was walking to work, just one of many people "kitted up" in my pea coat, scarf, and mittens, walking briskly in hopes of out-walking the cold wind. Looking ahead, I thought I recognized one of the people walking toward me. I often think I see people I know here (as in people I know from back home), so generally my realization that they only look like someone I know is a sad reminder that we're so far from home. Again, this only made today's experience all the better when I realized that I did indeed know the guy walking toward me. I gladly waved and stopped to talk and smiled when this acquaintance, Andy, introduced me to his coworker as a friend from church.
On the scale of settling in, meeting someone you know on the street is a GREAT sign that you're getting to know people. With 500,000 people living here in Edinburgh, running into someone who doesn't just look like an old friend from home but actually IS your friend feels like a miracle.
Slowly but surely, it is happening.
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2 comments:
oh that's so great. i'm glad it's feeling more "home", in big ways and small!
that is such a sweet story, Ju. I am glad you have moments of feeling at home there! your smilebox thing is also so neat, in one of the pictures you look like a model! love you. can't remember the username hence the anonymous...
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