Londonian...

As we are headed up to Christmas and I am bombarded with multiple versions of "Rudolph," and, "All I want for Christmas," along with some not so traditional tunes, like "Alien for Christmas." Heathrow has been shut down for days and tube lines are experiencing major delays due to "adverse weather conditions" It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! There is snow on the ground, advent calender is hung, our Christmas tree is up, presents are wrapped below and one stockings are hung with care! Last night I went to a Christmas party at Cordings, my first place of work. Someone asked me if I was starting to feel more at home, and feel more like a local. I do at times, the times when I want to shout at the people to get to the right or start to the walk on the escalator, to get out of my way, because apparently unlike them who could care less about their time, I have someone to get home to and am ready to be off the crazy street with people randomly stopping, bumping all around with their unnecessary umbrella's! I feel like a local when I know my way around (not so much when I don't) or when I go to the non "tourist trap" locations. going to the grocery store makes you realize a few of the differences in the countries. I have noticed, in the US there are in a way, a lot more options, of mostly processed foods. Here, at least in my experience, there is not a huge selection of these processed foods, but quite the variety of fruits, vegetables, and freshly made breads and treats. So, overall I would choose our markets here, though at times I do miss the 50 options of chocolate chips and such! I truly feel like I am starting to have my bearings. I know in's and out's of the city, maybe local things going on. I still miss friends and the familiar items from the states, but I am proud to say I am becoming a "local" it also helps that everyone is from somewhere else, for the most part at least. At work, there are people from literally, everywhere, which makes me not feel like such an outsider. We now have "our" indian place, it's in White Chapel, and we've been twice, but it is wonderful! We have our main street, our running paths, our grocery store, book store, art store and random shops and streets to walk along. I am getting the hang of council tax, national health care and the heating systems. All in all, I am proud to announce that not only is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it is beginning to feel a lot like home! I cannot wait for people to come visit, so we can show them around "our" London! I am becoming a true "Londonian" (it's ok if this is not a real word, and doesn't make sense to anyone, but it will to Alise! :) ).