Colin Burn

What’s your relationship to the area?
We moved to Norfolk about three years ago. Before finding our house, we’d actually never heard of the town! It ended up being one of those wonderful discoveries that come from late-night house hunting online.

How did you come to Norfolk?
I think of Norfolk as my third big American adventure. I first came to the U.S. from the U.K. about 20 years ago for my job. I started out in the Midwest, living and working in Detroit. At the time, I was writing software for Formula One cars. One day, my boss gathered a few of us 20-somethings and asked if anyone wanted to move over to the passenger car side of the business. It was supposed to be a one-year assignment in the U.S. to help on a project. I went home, talked it over with my wife Bev, and three weeks later I was on a flight.

After several years in the Midwest, we moved to the Pacific Northwest, where we raised our kids. It was a fantastic place for a young family, and I still love it, but after about 15 years, the sheer distances involved in getting anywhere started to feel a bit daunting. So, we began thinking about our next chapter.
We knew we wanted to live in New England and spent months searching for the right spot. Many late-night Zillow sessions kept bringing up the same house. It didn’t even list an address, but it looked so interesting that we couldn’t forget it. Eventually, we figured out where it was—Norfolk. That’s when we decided we had to come see it for ourselves.

We flew to Connecticut, and by pure luck, our visit coincided with Weekend in Norfolk. We had such a great time exploring the town that we made an offer on the house before we even flew home.

What do you do here?
I work for Ford Motor Company. Most of my work can be done remotely, but it’s handy that there’s a direct flight from Hartford to Detroit for the times I need to be in the office.

What’s different about living in the U.S. versus the U.K.?
Oh, so many things! Everything in America feels big—but it’s the little differences that stand out the most. Where I grew up most houses are brick or stone, driving on the “wrong” side of the road, saying “hood” instead of “bonnet,” and using shopping carts with fixed rear wheels—all those details make life here just a little bit amusing and different. The kids are starting to go to college now and it is yet another thing that I’m learning about as we go.

What do you like best about living in Norfolk?
Norfolk has some truly wonderful trails. Barbour Woods is an absolute gem that deserves more love. It’s peaceful, beautiful, and just the right escape after a long day.

Favorite season?
I’d have to say spring. Everyone talks about New England in the fall, and it is beautiful, but I love the lush greenery of spring and summer—when everything is waking up, the air is fresh and the bears and deer come wandering by to say hello.

Favorite place(s) in Norfolk?
When I hit a mental block while working, I take the dogs for a walk in Barbour Woods. We go all the way back to the North Dam and around the carriage trail. By the time we’re back, they’re happy, I’m refreshed, and whatever problem I was stuck on has usually worked itself out.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Norfolk is one of those places that quietly grows on you. It’s small, friendly, surrounded by nature, and full of people who care deeply about their community. We feel very lucky to have found it. n

Interview by Michael Cobb