Home

Note: Because Erin cannot speak for John in this blog, it is written in first-person.

Some people say they remember the very day they realized this was home - the day when they were no longer living in a strange place, but instead the drive from the office to the apartment became routine and the place they were headed was really just home.

I don't think I have one moment like that. The change has been gradual. Today in the grocery store I noticed a family of four yanking their crazy Dutch shopping cart around and hissing at each other in barely civil tones, as if they were on the verge of crying or screaming. They must have just moved here. After all, August is the prime month for new expats to move in. I recognized the tone of voice and looks of anxiety and all too well remembered my first months here trying to do all the shopping in strange stores with unrecognizable labels and brands. Only, I had no one else with me to help me find something or vent my frustrations to (at least, not until John got home in the evening and I could recount the woes of my day in Amsterdam). I overheard the mom telling everyone to find cottage cheese (something it took me at least 6 months to locate) as their little girl held onto the shopping cart and announced that she thought everyone was staring at them. I took this opportunity to alleviate some of their distress, pointed out where to find cottage cheese and told the mother what it is called in Dutch on the package.

It seems forever since I was in that position. How long has it been since riding my bike to the grocery store, only getting what will fit in my bike bags, and locating items with Dutch labels has become normal? When did the word "ice" ("ijs" in Dutch) stop meaning frozen cubes of water to put in your drink and start meaning ice cream? When did I stop counting down how many more months we have to live here? I now go weeks without thinking about moving back to the U.S. Yes, we are not snuggly fitted into the middle of this culture; we'll always be on the fringes of society without knowing Dutch, but this has become normal life.

Maybe the blogs are now few and far between because everything does not seem new and different now. Or maybe it's because I'm much busier now with a part-time job and studying for a licensure exam! Maybe both. We'll still keep everyone updated on happenings over here even though "here" is now "home." :-)