About

I'm a Midwestern American and expat, living and working in London since October 2009. In the years I've been in the UK, I've had plenty of ups and downs, but in all, it's been a good experience, and I love being able to share my experience on Becoming British. Even though I'm planning a move back to the US in the coming year, I'm planning on sharing more of my expat experiences before I leave.

In the early 1990s, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It presented a major challenge in 2011 when I fell quite ill and spent three months in the hospital. While in hospital, I got to try different liquid diets, get fed intravenously (via a Hickman line), and eventually ended up having a strictureplasty on my small intestine to fix narrowing caused by built-up scarring. I'm happy to say that I've been thriving and feeling quite well ever since I was released from hospital in August 2011. In the future, I'd love to become an advocate for individuals suffering from "invisible" illnesses because I know first hand how difficult it can be to struggle through life when feeling unwell, but otherwise looking fine.

Whitney and K2 when they were just kittens in 2006.

I have a passion for cats, coffee, food, knitting, and travel. My ultimate dream is to live in a beach house in California, have a job writing/editing/in advertising, learn how to knit and read simultaneously, and to own a full-on clowder of cats (I only have two now, K2 and Whitney, who live with my parents in Wisconsin), one of which I am going to name Ben Nevis.

Please feel free to get in touch--I'd love to hear what you think of my blog, and will consider any suggestions for improvements or future posts.