October flew by, but looking back, I managed to fit a lot in! From visiting friends and family in the US and celebrating Markell’s 20th birthday to exploring Exmoor and enjoying Halloween here in England, there were plenty of moments to be grateful for. In between, I’ve been getting back into hiking, trying new meals, and continuing to settle into my new role. There have been a few challenges along the way, too, but with my one-year anniversary in England and more adventures coming up in November, there’s a lot to reflect on and look forward to.
Destinations:
Bristol, Cheltenham, Minchinhampton, and Exmoor National Park, England
Reston, Herndon, Centreville, Harrisonburg, and Leesburg, Virginia
Columbia and Elkridge, Maryland
Favorite destinations:
Exmoor National Park, England – I recently spent a long weekend in Exmoor National Park with a group of friends and loved the area. I walked to Dunkery Beacon, which offers expansive 360-degree views of Exmoor and the Bristol Channel. The path to the beacon is flanked by fields of heather. I also walked along the beach at St. Audrie’s Bay. This beach has an interesting mix of rock and sand, as well as remnants of an old slipway used to import coal shipped from South Wales. Cliffs flank one side of the beach, with St. Audrie’s waterfall along the cliff. Overall, I really liked the area’s mix of countryside, moorland and sea.
Highlights:
October had a lot of highlights for me.
Visiting the US – Early in October, I spent a week in the US. It was great to visit with friends and family. I always feel like people share so much more about what’s going on in their lives when we’re together in person. I was also able to celebrate Markell’s 20th birthday with him, which was the reason for my trip. I can’t believe he’s not a teen anymore!
Celebrating Halloween – This was my first Halloween in England since I lived here 10 years ago, and it was nice to go to a “Pumpkins after Dark” event and have a small Halloween party with friends. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and since it’s not as big in England as it is in the US, these celebrations are particularly meaningful to me.
Exploring another UK national park – I spent a few days in Exmoor National Park in October, checking another UK national park off my list. My goal is to visit all 15 UK national parks, and I’m more than halfway there.
Renting a car for the first time since getting my UK license – I rented a car for a few days and was excited to drive now that I’ve passed my UK driving test. I want to practice driving in the UK regularly so I don’t lose the skills I learned in my lessons. Mark and I are debating whether to buy a car or commit to renting one every few months so we can keep practicing.
Getting back into hiking – I usually don’t hike much in summer because I sometimes find it too hot and unpleasant. I hadn’t really hiked since spring, but I got back into it this month with four hikes ranging from 2.5 to 7 miles. I really enjoy hiking, so I’m looking forward to doing more in the coming months.
Starting Gousto – Gousto is a meal delivery plan, similar to Blue Apron and HelloFresh. It’s been really nice to try it, as Mark and I had fallen into the habit of cooking the same dinners. Gousto gives us a wider variety of meals, which makes me less tempted to eat out. I also enjoy learning how to prepare different meals. We’ve been prioritizing meals with lots of veggies to make sure we’re getting plenty into our diet.
Attending the Cheltenham Literature Festival – Cheltenham hosts an annual literature festival that brings in some big names in the literary world. I attended a session on optimism with English poet David Yarbi, whose poetry book, Frequently Happy, I read at the beginning of the year. The session also featured Dr Deepika Chopra, whose book The Power of Real Optimism I’m currently reading. I hope to attend more events next year!
Challenges:
Staying healthy and eating well – I always get a little worried as winter approaches in England because illnesses seem to spread like wildfire. I’ve been doing my best to stay healthy – getting enough sleep, getting the flu shot, giving myself time to rest and relax, and taking a multivitamin. I also spoke with my doctor, who said that eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts can support my health, so I’ve been trying to eat more of those too. I’ve also noticed I’ve gained a little weight over the past year, so I’m trying to be more mindful of what I eat and focus on eating reasonably well, particularly as we enter the festive season.
Still getting the hang of my job – As you’d expect in only my second month, I’m still getting the hang of my new role. I think I’ve been doing okay so far, and I’m hoping to grow more confident over the coming months as I get more familiar with our ways of working and the projects we work on.
Posts:
What’s coming up in November 2026:
November is a big month! It marks one year since I moved to England in November 2025. Mark and I are celebrating with a nice meal out, and I’d love for us to reflect on our first year here. I’ll also write a blog post this month sharing some of my thoughts on the past year. Mid-month, I’m heading to Chester with two friends for a short weekend away. Later in the month, I’ve been invited to a Friendsgiving hosted by a fellow American in Cheltenham, which I’m really looking forward to. It’s always a little hard to be away from the US for big holidays. Finally, I’ll end the month with a trip to Poland, visiting Krakow and taking a day trip to Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains. There’s a lot to look forward to this month!
What are you getting up to in November?
