Glasgow. Take 1.

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Is there a place near where you live that you’d like to visit, and kind of feel like you should because it’s so close, but just haven’t? And people are shocked you haven’t been there yet because it’s just so close? Well, that’s Glasgow for me. It’s less than an hour on the train and it’s so cheap to get there. How has it taken me this long to check the place out?

Anyway, yeah, it’s taken me two years to get to Glasgow. I don’t know that much about it except that it’s larger than Edinburgh, has better shopping, it’s a grid (much like New York City), there are some really rough parts, the Glaswegian accent is incomprehensible, it has some of the most die-hard football (soccer) fans in the world, and it rains more. Yeah, you heard me, it rains more! That could be the reason why I haven’t tried to visit. But, when my friend Aya said she was running in a half marathon on Glasgow I thought this would be chance to go check out the big city on the west.

The three of us got there just in time to get Aya to her wave and so Kengo and I went to find a spot to cheer for her at the start. After we failed to spot her in the sea of runners we walked around to try and catch her at one of the check points.

After spotting the fastest runner, a Kenyan (duh!), we waited for Aya to come running by on some bridge… while it rained.

And then somehow we missed her. We were the worst cheerleaders. In Kengo’s defense he thought we should head to finish before I did and I kept saying, “But how could we miss her?! Do you really think we missed her?” And so we stayed longer just to make sure. But, having left my face-recognition goggles at home I should have conceded and just gone to the finish line. My b.

And there she was waiting for us. And she had been waiting for a while… worst. cheerleaders. ever.

So, then we went to go find a place to eat and where Aya could change.

Afterwards we headed over to Glasgow’s Street Feastival. I had heard about the Street Feastival from this post by Mary over in My Life in Scotland and so I really wanted to check it out. Besides, who doesn’t love a good food festival? No one. Ever. Now, I do realize that we could have eaten at the food festival, but as my dad always says, “hindsight is 20-20.”

The food festival was really cool! It was much better than Edinburgh’s food festival we went to last summer (we paid £10 each to get in and still paid £5-6 for a plate of food. At this one we only paid £2 each to get in. Glasgow 1: Edinburgh 0). I also liked how cozy it was and the variety of food that was available. There was asian food, caribbean food, coffee, scottish food, cider, and desserts! Seriously, I want to go back next year!

After the festival we headed back to the train station and stopped in some stores along the way. I really enjoyed Glasgow. I can’t believe it took me this long to make it over there but it’s now on my to-do list as soon as Will comes home! I know it’ll take several trips to really get a feel for everything it has to offer but now that I’ve gotten a taste (literally) I’m keen for more!

“Whoa, We’re Halfway There…”

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“… Whoa oh! We’re livin’ on a prayer!”

Yes, and now you have that song in your head too. You have Jon Bon Jovi to thank for that.

So, this is the halfway mark of mine and Will’s time apart and I’m feeling pretty good about it. Well, as good as good can get when you’ve been apart from your best friend and life partner for 10 weeks and realize you still have 10 more to go. But I’m a glass is half full type of gal so we’re gonna go with a more positive twist.

Actually, I’m going to be really honest and say it’s been difficult to be positive about this. There are days where the whole countdown just seems so daunting and overwhelming to me. Yes, I’ve gotten through so many days and now the days left to go are finally less than the days gotten through but man, this is hard: really hard. How do people do long distance relationships? How do army wives say goodbye to their husbands like this and keep going? I don’t know.

There are days when the days left are just streaming through my head like the stock exchange. And then there are days when I’m walking to the store, or cleaning up the kitchen, or peeing in the middle of the night and the weight of how much I miss him just overwhelms me. Why is it the little things that seem to break me? The moral of this story is that life is much better with my husband and February can’t come soon enough.

Ok, on a more positive note: Will has gotten along so well with his hall mates that they’ve gone out to clubs and Will has been dubbed the “cool American guy with the awesome beard”! AND he organized a whole Thanksgiving feast with his hall mates! Seriously, check out the pictures his hall mate took and see for yourself!

I know, right?!?! They had a feast and Will organized it all by himself! That’s my man :) He’s also been busy with school and impressing people with his German and going to chocolate festivals and checking out pubs and everything!

I have been crazy busy. There have been brunches (the greatest meal of the day), tea dates, trips to Ikea, seeing friends in St. Andrews, checking out Glasgow for the first time (post to come later this week!), watching the Great British Bake Off with friends (with a GBBO party to suit!), dinners with friends, Birchbox, going to the gym, baking, shopping, and Netflix.

I had my very first eggs benedict @ Montpelier’s Brasserie for this girl’s birthday (aka: the best gym buddy in edinburgh!)

Birchbox sent me their October box to check out… um, I would gladly accept a subscription to this for Christmas!

My faves are the Staniac and the Dr. Lipp lip balm; but everything was really good stuff.

The Great British Bake Off (feast above and friends below)

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls!

Thanksgiving!!

It’s been a crazy two and half months; and with Christmas coming it’s just going to get crazier! But, come Christmas Eve I will be on a plane to Germany to spend 11 glorious days with my Love! Oh I can’t wait!

Cafe Love: Loudon’s

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Will update: Everything is going so well for Will! He’s feeling more and more comfortable in Tubingen and making great friends through his hall mates. He’s planning a Thanksgiving dinner with them for this weekend and I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

 

So, whenever Will and I are home and thinking about going to a cafe together that’s close by we always end up at Loudon’s. It’s right down the street from us and has everything we’d want from a cafe: really good teas for me, artisan roast coffees for Will , and fresh homemade treats for the both of us! Oh, and they offer a delicious breakfast you’ve got to try! I love Loudon’s atmosphere. It’s a family business, welcoming, and it has massive windows for a ton of natural light. Loudon’s also has space for everyone from the student studying for finals, the business partners talking business, to the mom taking her kids out for an afternoon treat. AND it’s open until 6:30pm, which is a bonus!

I really enjoy going to Loudon’s and love that it’s close by. I’ll meet up with friends there and work on the blog there and edit pictures and read and knit there. It’s a great cafe!

Expat to Expat: November

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Will update: Visiting Will in Tubingen was absolutely amazing! We had the best weekend ever! I only took my Minolta so you’ll have to wait for the pictures ;) But, Will has made some good friends through his hallmates, is doing really well in his classes, and is gaining more and more confidence in his German!

 

Ok, it’s time for Expat to Expat: November…

Cafe Rouge, Frederick Street, Edinburgh (taken with my Minolta, June 2013)

What advice would you give to your pre-expat self?

To take more control over my money. If we had been more strict with ourselves earlier on, it wouldn’t have been as difficult as it was to adjust to such a drastic change in income. I know it’s not a battle that’s won overnight, but Will and I would both fess up to not keeping good track of the money we made. We did pay off our credit cards and save up some money, but it was a scramble and with having to pay for visas and airline tickets and everything else that comes with moving across an ocean.

I’d also tell myself to start learning how to cook. It’s more that I wish I had started building up my confidance earlier on in the kitchen seeing as I do it sooooo much more now. There’s a reason why this isn’t a food blog ;) I do love baking, though!

How do you reconcile what you thought life would be like in your new home and how it is in actuality?

I have no clue. Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations. I left my home of 25 years and my family and friends. I have never had to do this before; not even for college (I went to college in Richmond too). There are a few things I’ve impressed myself with (making wonderful friends) and other things that I need to work on (not feeling entirely settled). It’s all a work in progress.

 

How about you guys? And not just expats. Are there aspects of your life you need to reconcile with your expectations and things you wish you had told your previous self?

Peaches & Herb

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I’m visiting Will, in Tubingen, for a long weekend and we’ve been having the most perfect lazy Sunday!

I hope all of you are able to love on your loved ones this weekend too :)