Expat Life
Weight gain is another issue I had to deal with, I comfort eat a lot and being homesick gets me to comfort eat. I’ve read many Expat experiences, and a lot of them say they gain weight in the first year of being in their new country. I’m trying to focus on controlling my weight these days, and have been healthy eating. I’ve also bought a bicycle; I never used to ride a bike back in the UK, as the roads were always so busy. But we live in such a secluded part of town, that riding a bike is necessary here.
Making new friends is another factor after relocating. Clayton and I aren’t really the social butterflies, but I’ve had to try and be a bit more sociable to meet new people. After getting involved with the Welsh Women’s group, things got a little easier; I had made many new friends. The Internet is also a good place to find many people in your area; I’ve met some wonderful people on the Internet including my husband.
My accent hasn’t changed much really; it’s still very strong. One thing I’ve had to do is talk slower while I’m on the phone, a lot of people don’t understand my accent over the phone. I remember I had to call Clayton at work once; it took me over 20 minutes to get a message to him, as they couldn’t understand me. Even now, when I try and talk slower, people can’t understand me. When my family came over for our Wedding my sister had noticed that I give off an American Twang when I talk to the cashiers and waitresses. Also my dad had mentioned how assertive I had become, we were at a restaurant once and as there are free refills of soda in the US. I had asked the waitress if we could have more sodas for the table. According to my dad I wouldn't’t have done that sort of thing in the UK.