5 years.
It’s a nice round number.
It seems like a long time – after all, it’s 31, 536, 000 seconds. 1, 825 days. 60 months. But it’s also a significant number. According to my passport, today I’ve been living in the UK for exactly 5 years.

It’s a strange feeling, to find that at the same time it seems like I’ve been here no time at all, and yet like I’ve been here forever. But when I think about it, since I’ve been in the UK there have been 2 general elections (both of which I voted in – the perks of being a member of the Commonwealth!!), the world’s largest terrorist strike, at least 2 major wars, and Madonna got married to Guy Ritchie. And they haven’t been divorced yet. Gwyneth had a child named after a fruit, and two of my friends whom I met while at university in Canada have had babies as well. Oh – and I got married; but that was almost 4 years ago now… (love you sweetie!! 😉 )

It’s strange the things that make it seem like like no time at all – I’m not sure I’ll EVER get used to the antiquated banking system or the fact that everyone likes Canadians, but can never really tell you anything about Canada other than “it’s part of America, isn’t it??”. But then there’s the things that make it seem like I’ve been here forever, which are almost too numerous to mention. I have, in fact, been blessed with an incredible support group in my church, who have welcomed me from the first Sunday I showed up. I’m sure Richard’s tales about his Canadian girlfriend gave some people doubts about who was arriving in July (especially the part about meeting on the Internet…) but I have never felt rejected or even one slightly cool shoulder, never mind a cold one. And everyone that I work with has become so much more than a colleague – I’ve made some real friends, whom I hope I never lose touch with.

So, here’s to another 5 years. What will life be like then? Hopefully, we’ll be living in that mansion we bought with the lottery money we won, and have that cottage in Canada that we nip to for a week or so every so often… Will there be kids? Will there be a cat? Hope so – don’t know.

But if the next 5 are anything like the last 5, I won’t want to change a thing.