When “Normal” Stops Being Normal

We all grow up thinking our version of “normal” is… well, normal.

What feels completely normal to us can seem absurd somewhere else—even within the same continent.

If you’ve ever lived abroad or spent time observing people in a different country, you’ve probably noticed it too.

The real shift happens over time.

The longer you stay in one place, the more you adapt—if you choose to integrate. Otherwise, you stay stuck in comparison mode, constantly measuring everything against your old way of life. Sometimes, you even stay stuck in the past.

I’ve heard people say they moved back to where they grew up because they want their children to have the same childhood. But is that even possible?

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You can’t go back to that version of “normal.”
Not because you don’t want to—
but because it no longer exists.

Because you change. Things change. Even the place you grew up in changes—if only slightly. Do you think you can travel back in time?

Change is inevitable—but acceptance is a choice.

Unless, of course, you prefer fighting windmills for the rest of your life.

What I found funniest wasn’t the culture shock itself—but how quickly it disappeared.

Things that once stopped me in my tracks slowly became… normal. So normal, in fact, that I stopped questioning them altogether.

That’s when I realised something:

If I didn’t write these moments down, I’d forget they ever felt strange.

So I started writing things down—capturing the little shocks before they quietly blended into everyday life.

🌧️ The Greenest Grass You’ve Ever Seen

How green can the grass get? What you will see here are different shades of green. It was the height of summer, and I could not stop admiring the simplest thing on earth: the grass.

Why is the grass so green? Because it never stops raining.

And somehow… it didn’t bother me.

Wellies became my everyday footwear—and even a fashion item. Purple, yellow, hearts, puppies, flowers, stripes—you name it. I loved them. Interestingly, I never owned an umbrella. A waterproof jacket was my best friend.

During my time in Northern Ireland, my vocabulary expanded just to describe rain. Depending on the direction, intensity, or even the mood, it has its own name: mizzle, drizzle, pouring, lashing, and my favourite, raining cats and dogs.

What I also learned was this:

“The grass isn’t always greener on the other side… unless you’re in Ireland.”

🛢️ Heating, Damp, and Survival Mode Winters

Winter was a hardcore pursuit of heating oil. During the summer, you already start filling your piggy bank because you know that half your salary is going to fill only half a tank. Please… just last through the wettest part of the year.

My mum would turn her nose up whenever I visited. “You stink of damp.”

Then she wouldn’t even let me unpack. She took the suitcase out of my hand and washed everything she found in it, ignoring the fact that it had already been cleaned.

She couldn’t stand it.

Sorry, Mum. Some things you just can’t un-smell.

🗣️ The Accent That Rewired My Brain

Then there was the singing accent that I couldn’t help copying once I learned a bit of English. Later on, I also added the word “like” to every sentence I ended. It became part of my everyday, like.

I know accents are different everywhere. But in Hollywood—or even British films—you don’t hear this one very often.

Even words I already knew sounded so different that I struggled to recognise them.

I wasn’t prepared for it.

But after three years of living there, my ear became well trained. By the time I moved to England, I was a pro. No accent could surprise me. I was ready to tackle any sound coming my way—with determination. Sometimes successfully, other times not so much. But nothing could surprise me anymore.

🚗 Driving as a Daily Adrenaline Sport

Once I bought a small car to become more independent, I faced another challenge: the narrow country lanes. This was the time I learned to pray.

Every time I approached a bend, I said a quick prayer for survival, hoping I wouldn’t face another car. It didn’t help.

When I did, panic would wash over me as I judged the width of the road.

Will we fit? Do I need to reverse? Will they reverse?

We stared at each other until the other car made the first move. I just froze. Every time.

The locals seemed to know every curve and sped through them with confidence. Meanwhile, I stayed in third gear, ready to brake at any second.

💡 Everyday Systems That Make You Think Twice

Water was essentially free—at least while renting. We never paid for it, which surprised me when we later moved to England.

Electricity, on the other hand, worked on a prepaid card. I would go to a shop with a little plastic card and ask to top it up.

“Put a fiver on it, will you, pet?” became my standard Monday phrase.

And of course… it always ran out at the worst possible moment.

Did I forget to top it up, or did I do too much washing up?

Oops—the lights went out mid-toast. Again. At this point, I just shrugged.

I just needed to remember to check the meter before starting anything too ambitious in the kitchen.

💷 When Money Doesn’t Feel Like Money

The biggest shock, though, was the currency.

You might think a pound is a pound. It’s the same everywhere. Wrong!

The pound notes used in Northern Ireland weren’t accepted in England. Shops simply refused them.

After that, I learned my lesson.

Wouldn’t you know it, I had to order English notes from a Northern Irish bank. I found it hilarious.

Was it even the same country?

Northern Ireland may be part of the United Kingdom—but it definitely has its own way of doing things.

🌍 If I Could Take a Piece of It With Me

If I could steal something from Northern Ireland to build my own imaginary country, it would be the grass and the accent I fell in love with.

Maybe I’d even add a few country lanes… just to keep life interesting.