It was while sitting watching The Great British Bake Off that I realized my husband and I weren’t on the same page. Six years together, two of them based in the USA, and still our two versions of English were…
Looking Back On Two Years in New York City
“Do you like living here?” The question inevitably arises when someone first discovers I’m not American, but Scottish. My answer is always immediate, always the same – but it wasn’t always true. “Oh yes, I love it!” You see, I…
What It’s Really Like to Watch the US Election as an Expat
Let me be frank: as a Brit in the USA, I am completely fascinated by the US Election. Every time I speak to someone from home, they are equally as incredulous. “What’s going on over there?” they ask. The actions…
Autumn in New York: My Expat Observations
As an expat, I’m never quite sure whether to call this glorious new season ‘autumn’ or ‘fall’ – usually, my words change depending on who I’m speaking to. It’s a language conundrum I come across quite frequently as a British…
Skerryvore in NYC: A Lesson in the Power of Music
The first time I saw Scottish band Skerryvore play, I was in McNeill’s pub in Stornoway. It was the summer of 2008, and one of those nights that becomes a bit of a local legend: ceilidhing between the bar and…
September 11th, New York City, and My Expat Experience
Nearly everywhere you go in Manhattan, the tower at One World Trade Center – the ‘Freedom Tower’ – stands tall above the rest. It dwarfs the streets and structures that surround it. During the day it reflects the sky, shades…