Where Do You Belong?

Whenever I travel (especially to the UK) I find emotions bubbling up to the surface around belonging and a sense of home.

 

When I talk of home it can mean a number of different places for me; South Wales (where I was born), Wantage (where I grew up) or Ohio (where I currently live).  It can get a little confusing when I'm talking to people, especially as I visited all three during my recent trip.

 

After moving to Oxfordshire as a child I lost my Welsh accent so whenever I travel to South Wales I feel like an outsider.  When I visit the town where I grew up people laugh or roll their eyes at some of my 'americanisms' which also makes me feel as though I don't truly belong there either.  Then there's America where my British accent sets me apart and always will.

 

I feel extremely fortunate to have travelled and lived in two countries but it's a strange feeling and one hard to articulate, the sense of not truly belonging in any one place . . . . . but then I look at my family and at my husband and know that wherever they are will always be home.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday.

On Vacation

Anyone else get exhausted trying to get ready for a vacation?  My head is spinning from all the instructions I've had to pull together to make sure my husband and our four-legged friends are sorted while I'm away (not to mention all the pre-planning that comes with it).

 

By the time you read this post I should be up in the air making my way to the UK on a early morning flight.  See you all in three weeks when I'll be back to bore you with some holiday snaps.

 

Have fun (but not too much fun) without me.

Who Are You Calling A Bird?

I've been so busy trying to get the house all squared away that I haven't had time to get our bird feeders out.  I've been missing my feathered friends so was happy when I discovered these photos I took during my visit home to the UK earlier in the year.

 

Don't you just love the colors on display?

I've spied some cardinals so far but will be interested to see what other birds will be visiting during the different seasons.  What are your favorite feathered visitors where you live?

Learning To Dance Barefoot

As much as love returning to the UK I also find myself tinged with sadness for as soon as my feet hit British soil I’m hit with the feeling that I no longer truly belong.  This sensation crashes over me like an unexpected wave, one that knocks my feet out from under me and takes my breath away.

I also get the same feeling here in the US, for my British accent always sets me apart.  No matter which country I'm in it’s like trying on a favorite pair of shoes only to realize that they're no longer a perfect fit.  We all want to feel like we belong but I need to be ok being different, to celebrate who I am now, to discard those ill fitting shoes and maybe dance barefoot for a while.