100 posts
It is a bit of an anniversary for this blog today. 100 posts. Since it is an important round number, I thought I would write about something nice.
It must be the snow outside or this season’s mood I can’t help but get into, but I am just full of love at the moment. Love for my friends.
Usually, some of them would occasionally do something that might irritate me. Or that I might consider rude, ignorant or selfish. However, nobody annoyed or upset me for a suspiciously long time. (Except for Husband. And the child, of course. Oh, and the dog.) Maybe I am just getting softer and more tolerant with age. Oh, whom am I kidding, it is not going to last.
But, while it does….
My friends.
I know I talked about the importance of friends in my life already. But this Christmas spirit is contagious, even for an atheist. I just am full of this warm and bubbly feeling of gratitude and affection. This time, for my local friends.
My life would be pretty miserable here, in the UK, if not for these pretty ladies. The life of an immigrant can be lonely. Really can. You miss your culture, your family, your ways of doing things, your food, your social life. And yet, I realized a couple of days ago, sitting in a village café with one of my best local friends, that I have actually got some really nice ones, you know. Yes, it took me a while to collect them.
Because:
a) Brits are quite hard to get close to, compared to people from some other, more approachable, cultures.
b) I am quite fussy. I don’t like boring people. Even if they are nice. I also really dislike people who make things up, are pretentious or fake.
Yet, I have managed to find some really great local friends. Friends without whom my life would be pretty miserable.
They ask me for lunch on cold rainy days and feed me with tasty things. They pick my child up from school and take her to their place, so I could have a few more hours to run my errands. They baby-sit for me when I want to go out. They listen to me moan. They share morning coffee with me whilst husbands are at work, and they laugh at my jokes. They gossip and they advice on good shops and bargains. Most importantly, I realized that should I ever need help, they will be there for me.
They are the best. Don’t forget that I must shock them often. Despite having assimilated quite well, I am still from a different planet. I must sometimes appear rude, tactless or plain weird. And yet, they accepted me the way I am. I am just a very lucky girl.
PS. Go ahead, click that "borriing" box. See if I care. Warm and bubbly.
It must be the snow outside or this season’s mood I can’t help but get into, but I am just full of love at the moment. Love for my friends.
Usually, some of them would occasionally do something that might irritate me. Or that I might consider rude, ignorant or selfish. However, nobody annoyed or upset me for a suspiciously long time. (Except for Husband. And the child, of course. Oh, and the dog.) Maybe I am just getting softer and more tolerant with age. Oh, whom am I kidding, it is not going to last.
But, while it does….
My friends.
I know I talked about the importance of friends in my life already. But this Christmas spirit is contagious, even for an atheist. I just am full of this warm and bubbly feeling of gratitude and affection. This time, for my local friends.
My life would be pretty miserable here, in the UK, if not for these pretty ladies. The life of an immigrant can be lonely. Really can. You miss your culture, your family, your ways of doing things, your food, your social life. And yet, I realized a couple of days ago, sitting in a village café with one of my best local friends, that I have actually got some really nice ones, you know. Yes, it took me a while to collect them.
Because:
a) Brits are quite hard to get close to, compared to people from some other, more approachable, cultures.
b) I am quite fussy. I don’t like boring people. Even if they are nice. I also really dislike people who make things up, are pretentious or fake.
Yet, I have managed to find some really great local friends. Friends without whom my life would be pretty miserable.
They ask me for lunch on cold rainy days and feed me with tasty things. They pick my child up from school and take her to their place, so I could have a few more hours to run my errands. They baby-sit for me when I want to go out. They listen to me moan. They share morning coffee with me whilst husbands are at work, and they laugh at my jokes. They gossip and they advice on good shops and bargains. Most importantly, I realized that should I ever need help, they will be there for me.
They are the best. Don’t forget that I must shock them often. Despite having assimilated quite well, I am still from a different planet. I must sometimes appear rude, tactless or plain weird. And yet, they accepted me the way I am. I am just a very lucky girl.
PS. Go ahead, click that "borriing" box. See if I care. Warm and bubbly.
Well, I'll pick up your spirit of Christmas, Scary, and knowing as you do that the warmth and bubbles won't last, grab this chance to say something nice. It's great that you have those friends and that there are some Brits that let little cracks appear in their reserve now and then. But it's not a one way process. I bet they don't treat you the way they do out of charity. They'll get at least as much pleasure from you as you do from them. So it's a two-way process.
ReplyDeleteOK, that's enough of being nice - it's too demanding. But Happy Christmas to you and all your local and online friends. (I know some of them are Muslims but so's my son-in-law and I say Happy Christmas to him too.)
"You know a man by his company".I think you worthy friends of yours :-).Merry Christmas for all of you.
ReplyDeleteIt's very nice to see you got to know some nice people in the new land you are living now. I'm pretty sure that adpating is hard for someone who has to leave everything behind and start a new life somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, now and always!
Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your 100 posts an we are looking forward to read more!!!
Sveta
As they say in the Midwest "Good for you". It sounds cold, but what they mean is "Mashallah", they just don't know it. :):)
ReplyDeleteCongrats ScaryAzeri! Let's hope for a book now :) Happy Holidays everyone!
ReplyDeleteScary, maybe, your friends like you and will do these little things for you because you are a very likeable person
ReplyDeleteAS an immigrant myself, i think Brits are reserved and private compared to people ion some other cultures, and harder to make initial contact with. But therelationships with Brits (when you actually build them) are so much deeper and more meaningful and genuine. Compare and contrast to where i am now (which shall remain nameless)!
ReplyDeleteDear Scary, I think you are a very special person!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am not surprised You got so many friends! If you were boring - nobody would laugh at your jokes. If you were not a good friend and helping to others - nobody would probably help you. So you get what you deserve. Really.
Congrats on 100 postings!
Happy 100-versary, Scary:)) Wishing you many more posts, a book, and many more friends on another planet:)
ReplyDelete