The Spring morning weather in New York yesterday was very English. I was listening to Mika, Kaiser Chiefs and Kate Nash on my iPod on the way to work, as their music suits this light rain mood. One of my American co-workers got into the elevator with me and asked me what I was listening to, and upon my response, he goes “Don’t encourage this weather to stay”. As it turns out, I do have a melancholic-yet-beautiful appreciation for rainy days I didn’t have before. I welcome the serenity it brings – the “let’s sit at the pub with chips and beer and watch the football (soccer) on the telly”.
The time I spent in the UK was interesting, especially the times I spent in London. But because the time I spent in Bristol was often boring and lonely, I tend to forget the things that got ingrained in me by living there. I go make tea when someone is trying to wind me up, I put onion marmelade in most sandwiches, I say “wicked” and “brilliant” more than I should, and the cynicism has definitely stayed.
Working in an office full of Brits, words like cheeky, mufti, rugby and mate are an integral part of my vocabulary. On most rainy days I can’t even tell I am in the US from nine till five. When I’m out at a pub and Noel Gallagher’s voice plays, I can’t help but singing along. With the World Cup approaching and the level of excitement in my office increasing everyday with the countdown, I long more and more to join avid soccer fans in the banter about their teams. 61 days till the first day in South Africa. Brazil will play the first game on June 15th, against Korea. Then we will play Cote D’Ivoire and Portugal and come out victoriously as the top team in Group G.
So I may not miss the cricket, and I certainly don’t want the clouds to hang around forever… but in the meanwhile, I’ll enjoy and Blighty Spring that has lingered over Gotham.