A childs View

Both my children are currently here with me in the UK, I miss them so much but they are both grown enough to realise that our future lies in creating a life here in the Uk and a business once visas have been sorted.

But the reason for the post is that it hadnt struck me before how things can seem from a youngsters eyes.

My youngest son who is normally very confident and outgoing in Turkey has suddenly become a home bird. Never leaving the house on his own, not even to venture to the local shop. I asked him about this and he said he was scared! Never occurred to me at all, he speaks English and Turkish like a native and still has his Yorkshire accent. But he said he was scared, when I asked him why, he said he didnt know how things were done here and didnt like to ask people as they would think him stupid. He said if he didnt know English very well and they knew hed been in another country for a long time then it would be ok, as they would know he was new here! It makes sense now, so I will spend a long time now explaining things to him and showing him how things are done here when shopping, visiting the post office, using buses and anything else I can think of to help him. Starting my buying him a bike for his upcoming birthday then training how to use it on the raods here so he can become a little more independent and at least get to know the local area.

The eldest is a little more comfortable with the way things are done, but even he has become more of a home bird, so I think that secretly he is having the same problems but doesnt want to admit it.

My plan... well I will pump my husband for information as to what he found the strangest things to be when he came here and then I will very quietly and without their knowing introduce them to these things so their fear is gone.

Its taught me one thing though, holding two passports and having two languages is only the first step to help these two young guys become comfortable travelling, working and living between two countries...