Soon, my friends, too soon

I know that many of the readers of this blog (if there even are any)have heard me complain, a lot, about Sheffield and England and generally how I am looking forward to go back to the States. While it will be really nice to see friends and family and familiar sights, it has struck me in the past few days that I will never be back here and how much I really will miss it(and especially the friends I have made here).

I will miss sitting in the kitchen, watching Taptonville TV with my flatmates as we eat dinner, leaning out the windows to talk to friends and neighbors, and watching the Aussie boys devise silly games out of boredom. Tonight, Kiernan came over for dinner, which soon morphed into a big gab fest with random neighbors who saw us in the kitchen and called up through the open windows to be let in. These people came and went, getting kabobs and chocolate (the best friends of any student in the UK) and new ones took their seats; flatmates drifted in and out. Our dingy little flat is truly a home. We've made it a place where neighbors feel comfortable bringing food over to cook simply so they can hang out with us, where people come if their shower is misbehaving, a place to just crash and enjoy themselves. The fact that it is so accessible is just one of its many charms. We've all grown so close. I find myself qualifying my friends, saying "Oh [insert name of Sheffield person here] is one of my best friends here" and I realized that no, they are just some of my best friends, period. I will miss people so so much. The short few months we have here (less than two!) are going to fly by. I can't believe that in a few short months, we won't have James popping his head in to ask if we want to go to the 24 hour store, and we won't be comparing the values of the Co-op, Tesco, Somerfields and Fultons. We won't even have those grocery stores! It is just so strange.

This all started to form in my mind yesterday, when I walked in on Jen and Liz talking about it. Then earlier today Becca and I made a run to the 24 hour store, and we saw a kid in jeans and a white shirt on the street. Becca thought it might be James; it wasn't but I realized I will probably never just run into James on the street again. So strange. Ah! I know this is all really odd and repetitive to read--but I guess I've only just realized how settled into this life I've become in such a short time. Humans can adapt so quickly! It is quiet astonishing.

It doesn't hurt that it feels like a summer night. To sit in your kitchen, eating popsicles and candy with good friends, laughing and chatting idly, hearing people doing the same out of open windows, and smelling the grass and dirt and flowers is truly a good way to live. For all the annoyances and inconveniences of Sheffield, the slower life and comfort of Taptonville is really wonderful. I will miss my Taptonville family very very much.

Meagan