As I write this sunshine is pushing through
the blinds of my new flat – the bright rays marking the floor with glowing
lines. Eliot the cat, who has taken to the different surroundings like a duck
to water, is on the windowsill grooming himself and occasionally looks up at
the birds congregated on the ledge outside. Darwin is wandering around the
living room meowing and calling. We’re a few days in now and he’s only just
found his voice. The 7 hour trip in a noisy van spooked him considerably but I
think he’s finally coming to terms with the much larger rooms and new sounds
from the building.
We made it to Glasgow.
The past two weeks have been a blur – so
hectic and busy. My housemate initially headed up to the Scottish city in
search of our new abode and found one almost instantly, the contract signed and
keys exchanged within days. Packing up the flat in Cardiff was quite a task and
due to budget constraints we decided to leave all our furniture behind – even
then it was a tight squeeze in the hired van. Amidst all of this I was
preparing for my final gig in Cardiff which, as it turned out, was also my last
night in Cardiff. I had decided to put together a Kate Bush celebration night
with some of my musical friends. The gig was a lovely farewell, we actually had
an audience, the music was great and everybody who mattered was there.
The trip up north was happily uneventful
and we reached Glasgow as the sun was setting. My new home is located on the
second floor of a red-brick tenement building near Alexandra Park in the East
End of Glasgow. If you know anything about tenement buildings you’ll know that
the second floor is up a copious amount of stairs – needless to say after
emptying the van my body didn’t like me very much but we managed it and then
passed out on the mattress we’d brought with us.
Glasgow has been my home for a week now and
I’m not quite settled in just yet. In fact my anxiety levels are super high
right now. I feel like I don’t belong anywhere which is just my nerves talking.
The thought of going outside by myself fills me with dread – all my fears seem
to be amplified right now but I know these feelings will pass. It’s been a big
move, a big change in such a short space of time. I need to allow myself the
space and time to get used to it and not be so hard on myself.
We’re having to nab furniture from folks where
we can. Managed to grab a free bookshelf from a lovely Canadian lady who, as it
turns out, is friends with a band I really like from the city. So far most of
the people we’ve met have been lovely. The Glaswegian accent is a lot stronger
than I remember from my previous visits, takes a bit of concentration to follow
conversations – this probably adds to some of my anxiety. I get incredibly
embarrassed if I’m unable to understand what people are saying. Perhaps it’s an
English thing – the embarrassment and shame of having to ask someone to repeat
what they’ve said especially if it’s accent related.
I am happy to be here. I am excited. The
settling in nerves will pass I’m sure.
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