Job description: EXPAT wife!

Well its just about 4 months since we made the big move and I can actually say it's starting to feel more comfortable being here.  I have finally learned street names well enough to give people directions to my house, or into town.  I still have not learned my phone number, but I think I deserve a handicap on that one since they are SO long here and its so easy to just pull it up on my phone!  They also don't break it up in a (     )     -        . format like we do- or in any way at all for that matter.  Plus, I don't have the Asian gene like Puffin, so I'm not too good with the numbers ;) teeheehee!

So a big part of me becoming so comfortable is due to the American Women of Aberdeen Association that I am a part of.  We had our first meeting last month and I signed up for AAAALLLL kinds of activities! This week the golf group began and on Tuesday I had my first ever golf lesson!  I have NEVER had any interest in golf before.  We lived in a golf course community in Houston and it never crossed my mind to go out and take lessons.  But, you know what they say..."when in Rome!" My attire however does not follow this old saying.  Since I've never golfed before, I don't really have appropriate golfing clothes.  The shopping in Aberdeen is NOT great, so I couldn't even find anything to buy to make me look more presentable!

 

 Obviously, golfing is more serious here than it is in the States,  There are no golf carts on the course...unless you are disabled and can't walk.  And no drink carts either! Womp Womp.  The instructor is really nice and really patient.  Not only do I not know golf lingo, I also don't have a good ear for many of the different Scottish accents, so he's asked to repeat himself quite a bit!  (They differ based on their dialects.  Kinda like the difference between a Texan and a New Yorker accents.)  The English and Southern Scottish accents are easy for me to understand, but the further north the accent is from-the more it sounds like a different language! Unfortunately, Aberdeen is pretty much as far north east as you can get.  Fortunately, since it is the oil capital of Europe, people here are from ALL over the world, so not everyone is hard for me to understand!

 

On Wednesday I went to a "newcomers" coffee.  I thought I was a newbie until I showed up and realized that many people are just getting here!! It was such a change to be the one who knew what was where and to be able to give advice and heads up to other newbies.  It was also nice to talk to people who were in a similar situation and that I could relate to.  Its really great to talk to other Americans and reminisce on things that we miss and talk about new adventures that we get to be a part of.  We also look out for each other and give each other heads up on activites and items that may be of interest.

 

On Thursday I went on my first hike.  It was a 6 mile hike up Oxen Craig and Mither Tap peaks at Bennachie Park.  Personally I think it should have been called a mountain climb, but whatever-I finished it!  It was really foggy, so I wasn't able to take too many pictures.  It was really gorgeous and a lot of fun.  AND it proved to me that tennis shoes and yoga pants are NOT hiking gear! lol yeah, I was cold, wet, and I fell a couple of times!  All part of the experience, I guess!

 

 

This was at the first summit. They said on a clear day, you can see hills forever but obviously it was NOT a clear day....and my eyes are close because I was trying not to be blown over by the wind!! 

 

I also went into the "American Candy Store" downtown.  After that visit, I'm sure it is safe to say that the owners of that shop have NEVER been to the US!!  First indicator, they were selling VANILLA coke--what is this 1997?!  Second indicator, they were selling all the disgusting reject candy that no one wants to eat!  They also had expired food they were selling.  The funny part is they clearly labeled it "PAST DATE CHEETOS 2.00GBP"  OK, Third Indicator--YOU CAN'T SELL EXPIRED FOOD IN AMERICA! lol  The grocery store has a better selection of goods in their American aisle.

 

I found two more items today that I have been searching for since we moved here!!

 

Mr. Muscle is the Drain-o equivalent. And the refrigerated dough was with the butter! Which, come think of it-that's what it's next to in the States, but you have a HUGE section of it.  Here it was one box of each can shoved in the corner above all the butter....NO cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, or cookie dough with it!

Needless to say, it was a very busy week.  Greg will be in Kazakhstan all next week, so my schedule is even more full than it was this week!  Who said being an EXPAT wife was easy?!

 

 

 Final thought for the day: How slow???.....

 

 

Oh, these Brits...