Logan Family Adventures: Scotland! We have arrived

So it was a looong two months, but the family was finally reunited around Christmas time. We flew in on the first day of the most terrible storm the UK has seen in many years. How many years was anyone's guess, but I heard everything from 30-100 years. The Post man told me that when they start curling (a national sport here) on the Tay (lake) it is officially the coldest winter in 30 years (the Tay is never frozen enough to walk on normally). They did indeed curl on the ice.

It took some adjusting for all of us to the blustery, icy north that is Scotland. Coming from Northern California, we had naively thought that we would be prepared for winter since it regularly got to 45F in the winter. Ha! Try a regular 23F! Plus windchill and snow! We, needless to say, were not prepared. Luckily, we found stores to buy sweaters, boots, scarves and long johns. My wardrobe now does not even hint that I spent 7 years in California.

Upon making the decision to move people told us many things. One of the more helpful things we were told was expect to be culture shocked. You think you won't be, he said, because the Brits speak English and the scenery is similar. But that's what makes it so shocking. You are prepared for it to be the same. And it isn't. In so many ways.

An obvious example would be the accents. Not only can I barely understand people because of their inflections, I literally do not understand some of the words flowing from peoples' mouths. Here in Scotland, some people still use Gaelic words and some even speak in "Scots" which is a type of slang "way of speaking" as I understand it. Something like Ebonics, maybe. (If you know more about this than I, please let me know) Some things I've seen: Brae=street, Loch=lake, Monroe=mountain. I'm a quick study.

Also, there are mundane things such as the boot and the bonnet (what we would call the trunk and hood respectively). They don't have cookies, but biscuits. They use half English rule, half metric which is really confusing. The stove is called the hob. No one uses clothes driers (gasp). I have one, though, luckily, as my N. American power hog tendencies die hard.

Then there's the spelling of a few everyday words. Curb for one is spelled k-e-r-b. Tire is spelled t-y-r-e. They add "u's" places where American's don't (I'm used to this one, though, as all Canadians do that, too). For example, colour, neighbour. Also, they transpose "er" to "re" in a few words like centre and theatre. (same in Canada again)

I must also say how spoiled I became living in California. I didn't realise what a land of plenty it was there. Here, I'm lucky if I can get a decent head of lettuce and a salad that doesn't consist of 85% mayonnaise.

I won't even mention how confusing it is to get used to the cars driving on the opposite side of the road. When I'm driving, it seems natural to want to keep myself on the inside. But when I'm walking, I have to be very diligent about looking for cars both directions--a few times.

But for all the oddities we're experiencing, we're also noticing that Scots are extremely friendly open people who genuinely care for their neighbour. They may eat haggis and deep fry everything, but they seem to have a solid sense of what's important in life. It's reflected in their government as well as on their streets.

In closing, here are a few cute pictures of the boys from the past few weeks. I will be posting on a more regular basis now that I feel more settled and less crazed. Thanks for tuning in!