This is the third in the Sundays Stories Series.
This author has requested all personal detials be kept anonymous. You can read more about their expat musings as an American in the UK at http://notfromaroundhere.wordpress.com

Where are you from and where do you live now?

From originally–Minneapolis, Minnesota. From most recently, prior
to moving here–Washington DC-ish area. I consider that ‘home’ now
more-so than Minneapolis. Currently living in England, not in central
London but an easy train-ride from it.

Where do you consider your home to be?

Where ever I am *not* at the moment! When I’m in the UK and I say
‘home’ I mean the states, and when I’m back in the US visiting and I
say ‘home’ I mean the UK!

How many addresses have you had?

Ever? That could take quite a while. We moved a lot as kids, and
I’ve moved a lot as an adult. If I try to restrict it to the last
decade, it’s 2 in the UK, 1 in Virginia, 5 in Minnesota. If you go
back a second decade it adds another 3, all in Michigan. Further back
than that it’s hard to count.

Can you tell me about the different careers you have had?

I’m working my first real “grown-up” job in the UK; in the US I was a
graduate student and then a glorified post-doc before I moved here. I
moved here for a dream job that has mostly turned out to be pretty
darned good. Of course, I am asked all the time if I am going to stay
over here forever, and in reality I have no idea!

Can you describe the process behind deciding to move to the UK?

I had never been out of North America before 2004, and I moved to
Europe in 2006. Things sort of accelerated once I took the first move
to travel abroad. I was on my third trip to Europe and England when
I interviewed for my current job. When it came to the decision, I did
not even sleep on it–I interviewed for, and was offered the job I
have now and accepted it on the spot that same week. (And yes, that
may be the craziest thing I’ve ever done…) That was more than 3
years ago.

What do you enjoy most about living in the UK?

Travel, travel, and more travel. I can fly anywhere from London, it’s
the most hub-like city I’ve ever lived in. The opportunities to see
the world are the best ever. And it’s not just Europe, since living
here I’ve been to Singapore twice and Australia twice. Next big trip:
Heading to China for almost two weeks in April. Admittedly, because I
am single, I have job-subsidized housing, so my income has a larger
travel budget than that of someone with a more normal life! If I had
to rent housing at full UK prices, I think I would probably not be as
happy abroad or as well-travelled!

Is there anything you miss about ‘back home’? If so what is it?

Lots of little things, places to shop, things to eat. The bigger
thing I notice still is that I miss the casual friendliness of
American people, which I have not found as much in Britain, especially
compared with Minnesota. I miss people talking to you even if they
don’t know you.

How has the move changed you as a person?

I realize now that it was a pretty bold move to go overseas alone. It
never even occurred to me that this was the case, since my younger
sister had already done it. It wasn’t until I settled in the UK and
realized that most expats were NOT alone that I started to get that
things were a bit different for me. And now that I’ve done this bold
thing by moving overseas alone, I’m more likely to do other bold
things that I never thought I would have done. I think that goes
particularly for doing things alone. So really I like how this
experience has changed me.

How has  your lifestyle changed?

I can get along with a mobile phone, laptop, passport, credit card,
and nothing else. I don’t really need ’stuff’ to be happy. I mean, I
have stuff, but I live out of a suitcase lots of the time since I
travel a lot for work and also for visits back home. So it does not
worry me that my luggage might get lost, or that things get soiled, as
long as I’m safe, my loved ones are safe and I have access to the
basic necessities of life, I’m good. So at the moment I’m on a
simplifying binge, trying to get rid of stuff that I don’t need,
trying to make my flat more minimalist and admit how much of the stuff
that I own is actually just lying around being useless and taking up
space.

Did you move with your family?

Nope, don’t have one. Divorced, childfree, happy.

Any last words…..?

I think moving abroad should be a requirement for everyone. Certainly
it would be a useful requirement for a college degree. Now I can’t
believe I waited so long to travel much and I hope that my message
gets through to others that it’s definitely worth the hassle to take
the leap and live in a different culture.

http://notfromaroundhere.wordpress.com

Related posts:

1. Sunday’s Stories – Interview with Mike CJ
2. Sunday’s Stories – Interview with Honor
3. Sunday’s Stories – Interview With David Miller