18 December 2010 Reading and Readjusting

We made it. Seems like we got out of the UK just in time, too, as snow storms have crippled British airports today. Yesterday our flight to the US was smooth and easy. Nevertheless it was a very long day and we all went to bed at 7:30PM local time and I think we’re headed in the same direction tonight.

In addition to the jet lag there’s been some culture shock (everything is so big! everyone sounds American!) but overall our reunion with Mom-Mom and Granddaddy has been lovely, and Sam has been especially excited to see them and to involve them in her games, which include tumbling stuffed animals down the stairs, roaring, reading, and giving math lessons. You know, standard 5 year old stuff. Mom-Mom and Granddaddy have also noticed a number of anglicisms in her speech and accent. There was also this funny moment: this morning I asked Sam if she wanted a waffle for breakfast. (Mom-Mom had freezer waffles from Trader Joe’s.) Sam turned her face into her neck–her shy pose–and didn’t answer me. I repeated the question.

“Mummy,” she said (actually I forget if she said Mummy or Mommy, she’s about half and half on that one) “I don’t know what a waffle is.”

So today’s cultural readjustment can be summed up as: waffles.