Learning

Emigrating is weird. It forces you to work harder at your relationships and also get impatient quicker and give up.
You don't have the luxury of the past to talk about and you have no loyalties or insight into how the other person will perform under pressure.
The starting point is usually something in common- and it's not always enough- we've had some disasters! But the disasters usually happen because both parties are not seen as equal- one has the upper hand.
That's what I've found anyway.
So when you get past the 4th friend date- that's a pretty old friend indeed.
I've been to see 'an old friend' tonight. We used to work together and it's our Englishness that we first discovered in common, then sense of humor, then I met her family... And the rest is ancient history.
We hadn't caught up for ages, but tonight I asked if instead of dinner out- could I please come over and be a part of their family for a bit.
So we had pizza, I helped the girls with their reading, I giggled at the eldest daughter who's mannerisms are so like Joan Rivers in child form its un true.
Anyway, I had a lovely 'normal' night and it felt lovely.