Category Archives: England

Festivals & Celebrations

Lewes Bonfire Night by BonnieRosePhoto on Etsy, £60.00

Festivals and Celebrations 
“Have you ever been to an amazing festival or celebration while travelling? Do you have any special festivals or events from your home country or where you live now? Have you celebrated something special while travelling?” – Travel Tuesday co-host Marcella 

“Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…”
The USA has their firework displays for their Independence Day from England in 1776 and the UK burns effigies of Guy Fawkes, a man who failed the Gunpowder plot of 1605. After celebrating Bonfire Night a few years back in Lewes, I honestly favour the UK holiday. If you are ever going to be in England for Bonfire night I highly recommend heading to Lewes for it is the biggest celebrated Fifth November Event in the world. In fact there are six different bonfire society’s all celebrating the Fifth in various parts of the town. Each has their own processions, traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
My History with Bonfire Night
When we lived in England, when I was a young girl, I loved going to Bonfire night.  Even when we moved away from England my dad will still take me to celebrate it.  I have fond memories of when we lived in Italy and getting together with the RAF families to set fire to the Guy and watch the bonfire burn.  When we moved to England in 2011, this was one of anticipated ‘firsts’ that I wanted to experience with my husband and sons. There was a bonfire society near where my kids went to school that year and the school was involved in the procession. This meant we got to hold up banners and march all around the town of Lindfield, waving to the crowds of people watching.  I even got to hold a flaming torch which was probably the most exciting part of that night for me.  As we were part of the procession we got a prime location to watch the bonfire and fireworks from later that evening as well.  It was our first Bonfire Night together as a family in England and a very memorable one indeed.

I wrote about Bonfire Night in Batheaston, England, you can read it too. 

 

what are some memorable festivals you have attended around the world?

Two Years Later

so called expat life

 

My So-Called Expat Life
I have been in our current location of Bath, England for the past two years and a couple of months. Only one more year and a few months to go until we have been here as long as we lived in Hawaii, which would be the longest I have lived anywhere in one time. This highly nomadic life of mine that has spanned over two continents (I am not including my travels), seven US states, and three countries in Europe has impacted my life and world view.

How Much Longer in Bath, England?
This is one of many questions I get asked regularly as I have a job that involves personal introductions on a daily basis. In the past I at least had a rough estimate if not an exact date.  If my husband were still in the military, we would already know where we would be stationed next. However, that is no longer a factor in the equation, nor is schooling or any job searching in general. For the first time in my life, I do not have to move anywhere in the near future. We could actually stay here in Bath for the forseeable future, if not indefinitely.

Already my brain is coming up with lists and thinking of the pros and cons of staying or going.

Pro: My children can keep the same friends for a longer period of time and continue their education in the UK.
Con: My children are not forced on a daily basis to use another language beside English in their day to day life.
Pro: My entire family has been involved in eight different productions with four different theatre groups in Bath over the last two years and we will be in our first one all together as a family this summer.
Con: We no longer live near a beach, have beach days, and rarely have a warm sunshine day.
Pro: We can buy all our food from local farms and have it delievered to the house more affordably than shopping in a supermarket.
Con: In the UK, we live a bit isolated from mainland Europe where bordering countries with different cultures awaits.
Pro: We do not have to have a car in England and can walk 45 minutes to the boys school and 70 minutes into work.
Con: We do not have a car and have to walk roughly 45-70 minutes one way on cold and rain days (though I’m not really complaining…we live in England and I love it here)

To be fair any of us could make lists like this ‘until the cows come home’, but finding a state of happiness in your current life is a better feat. All it takes is looking at our current location with the awe filled eyes of a traveler, with the expat soul, and a heart filled up with love from my husband and sons.

Two years later and I continue my so-called expat life in England as the British American girl who moved back for ‘a proper cup of tea’.

City Vs. Country

cityvscountry
Today’s prompt is City vs Country – do you prefer a city break when you travel, or to get out amongst nature? Or combine the two Share your stories of your best city trips, outdoor adventures, or what you love most about either type of trip.  The link up this week will be extended for two weeks instead of one, so you have plenty of time to join the link up and check out everyone’s posts!
cityvscountry
For me I really think it depends. I could not completely right off city because I love traveling to cities all around the world. However I do greatly love and appreciate the beauty that is country even in the ‘backyard’ of where we live presently in Bath, England.  When people here find out I have an American accent, they always ask where I am from in the US.  Since Hawaii is the longest place I have lived anywhere in the US, I tend to go with my island answer. To be responded with ‘What? Why would you move from Hawaii to England???’  While I love Hawaii and cannot wait to go back, there are equally many reasons why I love life here.  One is getting to witness and experience the seasons.  Autumn is upon us and what better way to see it than out in the country.  I work in the city of Bath which can get quite busy with tourists and the day to day.  It is why I crave being outside in the country.  Especially this time of year. The leaves are amazing, the mornings are getting colder, and the countryside is juat as picturesque.  I just love putting on my music and taking long walks and remembering every moment how blessed I feel to be here.  Enjoy your moments and let me know in the comments what you love most about where you live at the moment. Is it the city or the country? Or both?
A big thank you to my cohosts this week as our time comes to a close. Next week I will be highlighting them on the blog and introducing you to their choices for the next Travel Tuesday cohosts!  Thank you CamilaJessi, and Amy!  Check out their final Travel Tuesday posts and share the love!

An American conversing in England

lostintranslation_mericaengland I begin this post by saying I love living in England, so take what I say lightheartedly. I still enjoy my seventy minute walk from home to work, fawning over the beautiful Bath architecture and picturesque countryside. I just remember what it was like being stateside and wish I was here and now…here I am.  It is a beautiful thing to be content and happy in life.

I remember the problems of being a ‘hidden foreigner’ in America when it came to conversations with those who had never left the US of A.  I have left those behind me and after three years in England realise I still run into a problem with the American part of me here in England. I overshare. It is not so much that I overshare in a bad way, but that I love to talk and can open up to almost anyone quite easily.  It is a quality of being a Third Culture Kid (TCK) that you can find something to relate to anyone you meet and do not feel shy to start talking to someone you do not know.  I am constantly trying to reign myself in and give people the ‘cliff notes’ version in conversations. The trouble I find is that when I feel most comfortable and let my guard down, that I share and talk the most without realising it. Continue reading

Street Art in Brighton, England

streetart_brighton-england

One of my most favourite things about being in Brighton, England was being able to finally say I had seen a Banksy street art piece in person. There are a few in Brighton and the city boasts many interesting pieces that will continue to change through out the year.  Here are some of my favourites from Brighton as captured by my iPhone with the Hipstamatic app.    Continue reading

Cookie Class at Coffee @ Camden

Coffee @ Camden, Bath

Last month we surprised my sons with a special Saturday activity, a children’s cookie class at Coffee @ Camden in Bath.  You might remember my blog post from Coffee @ Camden on my day date there last year.  The owner, Sara, specializes in amazing and delicious cupcakes which are perfect for birthdays, weddings, holidays, or those ‘just because’ moments. While we were not having cupcakes on this day, my sweet tooth was not disappointed. Continue reading

Throwback #4: Stonehenge

stonehenge

Time for our next Travel Throwback and today I share with you a photograph taken about thirty miles from where I live now, almost thirty years ago.  How wonderful to see that in all the mobility and travels in the last thirty one years I can return to the same areas from my past.  For a third culture kid like myself, that is as closest to having a ‘home’ as I can find.  I look forward to going back to Stonehenge soon to see it with my husband and sons this time.  Tis a shame you cannot get as close to it as you once could but will be awesome to see such an amazing historical structure outside of our current home in Bath, England.

Continue reading