I have lived in England now some 38 plus years and I met my husband in 1978. During our time together we have travelled all over England and Scotland and had a wonderful time. Upon returning home to the US, having travelled the length of the UK, I felt in many ways that I had gained more knowledge about the UK over the three months than many Brits have in a life time! Because I loved England and my soon-to-be husband, it was not a difficult choice to relocate! I really enjoy my life here and embrace change and all the differences, of which there are a many!
Our grown up children are the best of both of us - a real combination. My daughter calls me Mom and my son calls me Mum, it’s just how they like it! I found going back to the US with our small children tough-going, and then facing the return flight back to our home in the UK was awful. Eventually these trips became less and less and I invited family and friends to come to us! My two children are grown up now, so they more or less go off on individual vacations with friends, so I no longer have to deal with planning, insurance, flights and hauling luggage and children across two countries! I must add that due to living in the UK, European travel is their oyster.
We have kept up as much as possible with many traditions and holidays such as the 4th of July & Thanksgiving, all of which we all enjoy. I neglected to mention that my husband was from an Eastern European background, and his parents were Orthodox, and I had no idea until many, many years after our first Christmas together that our first Christmas Tree was his first tree ever!
My family really enjoy the holiday meal traditions, and all love to eat a large plate of the poultry, complemented with my mother’s recipe for stuffing. I do have to make an apple pie as well as a pumpkin pie to please all of our palates.
The years pass quickly and life does get busy, and we can easily forget the family we do not see on a daily basis. Sadly, in the last 10 years all the senior members of my family have passed away. The last member left my birth state and the place I always returned to, and where I felt that Dulles Airport was the welcome home sign for just me! I must admit having the last remaining relative leaving really did hit me hard and I shed a tear or two, as silly as that might seem. I do not foresee returning to my birth state anytime soon, and feel if I do return to the US in the future it will be to a warmer state to start new memories.
I cannot image living anywhere other than the UK and I look forward to growing old here with my family. I am very proud of my roots and my birthplace and enjoy my lifestyle. I am happy to say my life is a very healthy balance of both. I do not get as home sick as much as I used too. I am not sure why, but think perhaps because I am settled and happy with a grown up family, I have put down deep roots here.
I attended Thanksgiving at St Paul’s a few years ago and really did enjoy it. I found it to be very moving emotionally and spiritually, and my daughter was moved also. I found her watching me and others with me, and she was crying. I asked her if she was ok, and she said “Mom I loved seeing you with other Americans and seeing the strong connection that you all seem to share. It was overwhelming to see the tears in your eyes as you were singing”. She went on tell me that it hit her all of the sudden what her Mom had left behind to relocate to the UK.
That was a magical moment for me and told me all I needed to know, I made the right decisions in my life to relocate, marry and have my two children. My blessing is to have a daughter who would share such a lovely moment with me. I feel that it has been my children’s upbringing with family, friends on both sides of the Atlantic that made them such interesting, understanding and most of all, adaptable people.
I made a choice in 1979 to relocate and I have never looked back. I enjoy my life, and I adore the changing seasons, and even find the rain moody and reflective! I have, luckily for me, always liked tea, and remember the awful stuff served on British Rail in plastic cups (milk and hot water). We now have many fabulous coffee shops, of which there were none in 1978 - things have much improved!
I look forward to one day creating my very own (English) country garden, and hope one day to share some flowery pictures with you all!
Article by Debbie Djukic.