No, not a Howling Wolf blues track, but an affliction that cuts you down like a bolt from the blue. Thankfully I have read about the EPBs but they still leave you feeling violated and insecure when they leave.
Having experienced a few bouts I'll try and advise on a few antidotes.
1. Get tickets for a British band playing locally - please remember this is mainland Europe and locally could mean a 3 hour drive. I would like to take this opportunity to pray at the feet of Mr & Mr Craig of The Proclaimers. I'm actually a Londoner but whenever the boys are in town/country/continent, I'm Scottish to the bone. I love them for making me feel normal instead of foreign in a strange land
2. Find a supplier of a familiar food - for me it's Licorice Allsorts. I never liked the foul-tasting sweets when I lived in England but now I can't start my day without a handful followed by a slice of toast and Marmite. All washed down, of course, with a cup of tea!
3. Cook your friends from your new hometown a traditional British roast followed by a plate of British cheeses and a trifle. The downside of this option is your Yorkshire pudding may not rise and your sherry infused custard may not set. The upside, your friends will know no better! WARNING: during digestion, this meal may cause 'problems' for your non-Brit mates.
4. Move back home. This however is not an option taken lightly, when everything gets really bad, and it will, just remember; the crime rate, the house prices and worse, Starbucks filled with middle-class nannies and their over-confident charges. Or is that just in Clapham?
I promise any period of sadness will pass and like a ray of sunshine your new homeland will make you feel happy you made the right decision to move there.
I'd now like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has given me a smile and spared some of their time since being here in Belgium. It means a lot.
Aalst U Blieft
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