2016 was the 4th year of my living and working in the UK. What a crazy, mixed up year – so many high points mixed with low points and – pardon the expression – WTF??
I turned 50 this year, and had the great fortune to combine a trip to visit my company’s business in Israel on the day of my birth. It was an amazing trip, made even better with an extra day spent on a tour of Jerusalem with a very knowledgeable and insightful guide. I’m hopeful that I can find more business reasons to go back and explore the Galilee (which happens to be where our office is located). There were other celebrations of my 50th, including a weekend in Stratford Upon Avon (my new tradition for celebrating my birthday), a stay in an Irish castle being treated like nobility, and a long weekend in Atlanta with my sisters and adult children reliving the ‘80’s and enjoying each other’s company.
In addition to all the celebrations, I decided to do something I’ve never done before and sign up for a half marathon. Due to the busy times in the fall, I picked one in winter, but in a warmer climate. The Barcelona half marathon turned out to be just the ticket – 4 days before my 51st birthday and in an ideal location. As a part of our on-going tradition, my son will join me, and we will both be running our first half marathon together. The training has given purpose to my running and I feel like I’m in the best shape I have been since running Cross Country in college. December was also the 4th anniversary of my foot surgery, so it seems apropos to be doing something that would not have been possible without it. Fingers crossed the mind doesn’t take over matter and I meet (or beat) my goal of completing the race in 2 hours.
There were so many good family memories this year, including my baby and her husband buying their first home. I was fortunate to be there for the house warming to meet their friends and explore the new neighbourhood. In late June, I had the great fortune to be able to combine a business trip with a visit home, which included a weekend spending time with my oldest sister and her partner, as well as my son and me sampling way too much fancy coffee. In another twist of fate, I had several business trips to New Mexico, one of which allowed me to attend my niece’s high school graduation. In November, my older sister and her daughters came for a week of full-immersion in UK culture. It was great fun wearing them out, and showing them so much of the area. We then returned the favour and spent Christmas and New Years in Arizona, completing the visit with me and my youngest niece taking the Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day.
In addition to family, there were also additional excursions in Europe, including Easter at Canterbury Cathedral, acquisitions in New Mexico and Finland, a week in Portugal where we travelled from north to south, and a long weekend in Lapland visiting Santa.
This was also a troubled year with the Brexit and contentious election in the US. While I can vote from the UK, there is a distance that is created when your only option is to vote. Following the example of the US, there was a women’s march in London which we attended. It still felt somewhat distant since the march was intended to raise awareness of the potential threats – not as a protest of the new US President per se, but more of a recognition that the world is on a path towards self destruction that could disproportionately impact women.
I’m still searching for some way to be involved and participate in the process, but have not yet hit on the exact way to do so. That said, I am relieved that my ‘leave to remain’ and visa for working in the UK is good until 2020.The overall negativity of the year was made more so by significant losses of celebrities whom I identify with as part of my growing up – David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, Alan Rickman, Mary Tyler Moore – and so many others. There was a point where I was reconsidering my playlist on the iPhone and whether I should take care to listen to artists who are already dead.
This past year has truly been a mix of stark contrasts and rapid change. In July, my business boss was moved aside, and a new one was put in place. This is always a troubling time for someone in HR as my role is to be a ‘trusted advisor,’ and a new boss could decide I’m not the right fit. In a strange twist of fate, my new boss is from the Duluth area in northern Minnesota. So, I’ve now found myself in the unique position of being his translator – both from ‘Minnesotan to British’ and back again, for the rest of the team (who are mostly British). So far, I’m enjoying having someone who has a shared history (albeit he’s a bit younger than me), and comes from a similar cultural background. I think he appreciates the fact that I’ve been in the UK longer and can help him navigate some of the subtleties of the British culture (which are different than the subtleties of Minnesota culture). All in all, a good change, but with the business environment in challenging times, it’s not been an easy year for any of us.