England, 1 year on.
(Well, a little more than one year, actually.)

Elisabeth and I wanted to do this thing a while ago and analyze everything that?s transpired in the last year and how it?s changed us but as I?m feeling pretty melancholy this evening, now?s as good as ever.

It?s been a strange year, that?s for sure. Egham was a major let-down. Probably the biggest of my life. We were unaware of Britain?s different standard of living and the vague warnings that preceded our arrival did nothing to help us with regard to specifics and, once we had moved into our 1st house, the reality soon set in. Economic reality, that is. I don?t think anyone truly realizes the degree of monotonous poverty we lived in, those first few months and even now, the degree of debt we?ve built up is quite ridiculous. Even if we?d have had twice the amount that we?d brought over, we would have struggled. The simple fact is that one person cannot support two people in England. Hell, two people can barely support two people. While in Canada, living with your parents until you?re 25 carries a certain stigma, it?s expected over here; if not sensible. Things are damn expensive and living in such a posh area didn?t help.

I?m not going into too much detail about the rich assholes that permeated the area where we lived. Nor the pikey locals who, though poorer were just as exclusive and snobby in their own way. Royal Holloway is the country club of universities in Britain and was as exclusive as ever. If it weren?t for my classmates, many of whom are utterly fabulous people, it would have been a complete waste of a year. The closed-minded, inherently conservative nature of the college wasted my time and money and the sole fact that it made me a better writer (courtesy of someone who wasn?t, technically, a teacher there) is its only saving grace as a so-called academic institution.

That said, the good thing is that, while it?s tested Elisabeth and I, the love that we feel for one another has in no way lessened and has grown in ways I?d never imagined. It?s also made me value my friends and family back home more than I?ve shown. Those who have come to visit have made us happy and sad and homesick and made me realize what a great place Canada is. And for that I?m grateful.

God only knows what this year will bring. Hopefully more security and laughs. We?ve moved to an area that?s more our pace, style and, sadly, (Because these things are so 19th century) social and economic class and are starting to get on our feet. With school ending for me, I?ll be able to pull my weight and hopefully start to get us out of all the debt we?ve incurred. We?ve also started to make friends in the sense that we won?t have to keep on calling those people we get together with ?class-mates? or ?co-workers? and this will help. We?re also looking forward to more people visiting and, of course, traveling and having that mythological thing called a honeymoon sometime soon! Yes, all this sounds pessimistic, I suppose, but, having now lived through it, I wouldn?t have traded it in for anything (Except for Egham & Englefield Green ? that cesspool could be razed with napalm and all I would do is change the channel to something more interesting; say, Police Academy 4: Operation Miami Beach) as it?s made me a stronger person and affirmed the bond that Elisabeth and I made before we left.

-Stephen the melancholy blogger out!