Friday 24 January 2014

"Are you settled down yet?"



Since I've arrived in London, the one thing people have been asking me constantly, almost everyday still, is "have you settled down?".
Since day 1, my answer has been a resounding and unwavering "yes". Though its meaning has evolved for me everyday.
Day 1: "Yes, I only had one suitcase so it was quite quick really, I don't have that much stuff."
Day 3: "Yes, I've just bought myself fluffy pillows, I'm going to sleep so much better! All is well in the world!"
Day 5: "Yes, I now have a bank account AND a working mobile phone, I'm ready for whatever comes next!"
Day 11: "Yes, I'm planning for my first training session with some students, I really love this job!"
Day 15: "Yes, I've met new faces through my rowing class, I now know more people in London than I can count on my fingers!"
Day 19 (today): "Yes, I've begun working again on my Chartership, it feels so good to advance again on that project!"
You can keep asking me that question, I think I'll keep finding new explanations to the heartfelt "yes" that comes out of my lips before I'm even able to think about it. Yes, I'm settled down, London is my new home and I love it.

Although, I'm still not really sure what "settling down" actually means. Is there a finish line somewhere, shall I be counting how many new friends I've made or how many times I've taken the tube? Shall I look forward to the day when I'll know where every single item is in Sainsbury, when I won't have to check a map before heading outside in London?

Really, I think I'll keep settling down till the day I leave. I would need many lifetimes to exhaust all of London's quirks and possibilities. And I hope there always will be one more thing to do to feel even more comfortable and at home in this changing city. Forever ascending on the asymptote, ever so slightly.



Licence Creative CommonsThe above photo was taken by myself in London, in January 2014.
This photo and text are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.