What Makes Me An Alien?

I can honestly say, that at one stage, I was legally called an alien. A resident alien of the United States of America.  Who could have predicted that, really???  Ok, so now I’ve moved onto greener pastures, and I have been proudly carrying the *citizen* badge for a few years now. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still claim it as my own!!!

I am a Brisbane-born Australian, who left the great southern land in 1994, for the fair shores of Ohio. Here, I ran into the arms of my charming husband-to-be, and two years later, we were getting married on Seven Mile Beach, Northern NSW. It was magical at the time.

So here I am, some 16 years later. I have seen my accent change over the years, and become much more American, but the only person who seems to notice this fact is me.  I tell you, it is fairly intense. I can almost guarantee that every new person I meet is going to ask me what my accent is, and how much they love it, and how they could just listen to me talk AAALLLLLLL day.

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER, PEOPLE. I am still subject to these comments on an almost daily basis, 16 years later.   I remember years ago, thinking, oh, enjoy it while you can, you’ll miss the attention when it stops!! OK, well, I can almost guarantee that, at this point, I won’t miss it.

Hee hee… maybe I lie… Maybe I do experience a vague thrill when they ask where I’m from. *flirt*

Back to the topic on hand…I am an alien in many, many ways.

Living as an Australian in the mid-west of America – I am an alien.

*Who else do you know who has both a compost and a clothesline in their yard?
*When people talk to me sometimes, it’s all I can do to just stare at them, and wish they would just be quiet so I could get back to my life. That can’t be something a normal person does.

*Our family (oh, which consists of my husband, my 9 yr old daughter, and 4 yr old twin boys) thrives on a vegetarian diet. Yes, we’re the ones who DON’T bring Lunchables for lunch.

*I have recently converted from being a non-practicing Catholic, to a very active United Methodist member. (actually, I am officially becoming a member this Sunday!!!) How did THAT happen??

*I wash out my ziplock baggies, dry them, and reuse them till they fail. Who does that???

* When I go back to Australia, strangers think I sound American – but my family and friends say they hear nothing.  Go figure.

*I carried 14 pounds of 2 babies in my belly at once, and somehow, I only received one tiny little stretch mark. Obviously, I am not of human stock.

Of course, there is always the option that I’m normal, and the rest of the world (yes, you!!) are aliens. If this happens to be the case, please be kind with me.

Of course, there are also times when I am an alien to myself. Unknown. Let’s put it this way… I am on a journey of discovering the unknown beast that be me.

Welcome to the jungle.