Monday, January 10, 2011

My first year in the US


Well I can't quite believe tomorrow officially marks my first year in the US. It was a year ago that I got off my flight...went through immigration (which took an age with a lot of grilling), jumped in a cab with my giant suitcase not really remembering where I lived and then I trecked up the stairs to our lovely Brit pad - where all the Lincoln Park group jumped out as a surprise and a glass of red wine was waiting! I should have known the group would prove to be every bit as brilliant over the next 12 months, just from this alone.

(This photo is of the group hiding behind the worktop in our new apartment).

The last year State-side has been awesome - sooo many happy memories which I will always treasure and hopefully I will continue to tell these stories for many years to come.....It's been a year of firsts....My first Super Bowl party, my first Cubs game with many of you, my first American wedding, my first Miller Lite (yuk!) and my first Irish car bomb, my first college basket team OH IO, my first college football team MSU, my first Festivus, my first thanks-giving with the Valiers, my first potato tot, my first trolley for Shreadles birthday, my first marathon, my first 'You've been iced', my first 8 hour road trip to St. Louis (never had I sat for 8 hours in a car), my first attempt at roller skating in a bar, my first game of flip cup, my first game of beer pong, my first pool party (where I was called Natalie for the day...) my first Fire game, my first Bears match and tailgating. My first American Halloween, my first Brides maid bar crawl, my first dodgeball team, my first Sunday Funday, my first singles softball team (dear lord!)....I could go on....

It's been a blast. I hope this next year doesn't go quite as quickly as the thought of heading home this time next year is a mixed one. Happy to get back to the family, but I will miss my new American family lots.
But I've still got a year and soooo much to do and see in Chi-town AND so much to see across the US (and a lot of Starbucks mugs to collect on the way too).

Thanks to all for making it what it has been. Here's to a brilliant 2011.
Dizzlepop x