nanila | Entries tagged with expat

For the past eight months, I have been practising to take the UK practical driving test. I've spent over 100 hours behind the wheel - not an easy logistical feat when you cannot drive unsupervised, your partner works full time, you have two children under the age of three and you're breastfeeding. I've had one supremely unhelpful instructor and one very helpful instructor (whom I didn't even have to pay, because he's the bloke).(Re-)learning to drive has been stressful, time-consuming and expensive.

But lo, it has all been worth it, for today I passed my UK driving test with four minor faults.

Let me repeat that in my American voice. HOLY SHIT I PASSED MY UK PRACTICAL DRIVING TEST!!!11!!11!!!ELEVENTY!!! YESSSS \o/ \o/

It is almost exactly 19 years to the day since I passed my US driving test. If there be any non-Brits amongst you who are scratching your heads about why I needed to take the test again, please know that the UK driving test is one of the toughest, if not the most difficult, in the world. They do not accept that you know how to drive in the UK if you can drive in the US. And, having been through both tests and driven extensively in both countries, I can say that they are 100% correct about this. I'm a far better - more attentive more flexible - driver now. I can drive on either side of the road, as appropriate. I can drive a manual (petrol or diesel) or an automatic car. My clutch control is good and will hopefully improve further in the coming months.

Right, so. Enough of this; I'll write more about the exam itself later. I have had a celebratory lunch and it's almost time for a celebratory evening drink. TO THE PUB!

the weather today is to the pub!
Crossposts: http://nanila.livejournal.com/1005063.html

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[Keiki and me in our hotel room after a visit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in Washington D.C. Please note awesome new hoodie (grey, zip-up, with "Blackbird SR-71" embroidered on it).]

Keiki and I returned yesterday from a four-day trip to the States, during which I ate and drank All The [American] Things. It occurred to me, during my third root beer* float, that I have a very specific way of consuming a float. First, I use the long spoon (there must always be a long spoon) to eat the foam created by the initial contact between the ice cream and the root beer. Then I use the long spoon to poke the scoop of ice cream around, scraping off the bits that are melting into the root beer. When I'm finally bored of that, I stir the remaining ice cream into the root beer until it's well blended. Only then do I drink it through the straw (there must always be a straw).

So now I want to know, how do YOU consume your ice cream soda?

* Root beer, for UK persons who have not had the pleasure, is a bit like dandelion & burdock. Except sweeter, of course.

with a hint of Sussan Deyhim - Soliloquy
Crossposts: http://nanila.livejournal.com/1004980.html

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10. Never having to interact with candy corn ever again. I hate myself a little for even mentioning the stuff, because I’m slightly afraid of inspiring enough curiosity in my British friends that they’ll consider importing it. I beg you, please don’t. It may look tempting at first, with its unusual triangular shape and multicoloured stripes. I assure you it is nasty. Those stripes are not indicative of any variation in flavour, which is disgustingly saccharine and plasticky all the way through. It has no business claiming any relationship with actual edible foodstuffs, it really doesn’t. I’m glad that thus far, the creep of Americanised Halloween into Britain has yet to include the introduction of candy corn, as nine years without it has been blissful.