Onward and Upward, Poppy In Hand

My dear husband has had yet another job transfer.  Onward and upward, we are now ex-pats.  We've been in our new digs six weeks or so, and I've had my head down with the unpacking and attempting to keep the kids in upbeat spirits.  Never did I think I would be living outside the US again, and being in a county that is so similar actually makes it harder.  I feel fairly sure I blogged about this before, but moving to a country that is completely different from your own means you expect everyone and everything to be different.   Moving to a country where so many things are similar means I end up letting my guard down and get caught out on things I am supposed to know because I look like I belong when really, I have no clue.

Case in point, with Remembrance Day right around the corner, everyone around me is wearing poppies on their lapels.  I don't have a poppy, I don't know where to buy a poppy.  I don't want to seem as if I am not being supportive, but fuck if I know where to go find one.  As much as people in the US get their flag-waving on, I have never seen support for this holiday like I have here in Canada, and I would like to participate.  This morning, one of the grandmothers at the school was sweet enough to offer a poppy to my son.  He declined because he will be getting one in his classroom, I sheepishly stepped up and asked if I could have it.  My daughter is reading at the assembly this morning, and I want to look the part.  I am loving getting to see other sides of shared traditions, and I love that my kids are getting to learn other sides as well.  Global citizenship starts at any age, and this move has already expanded our horizons.