Just one of those moments
It's Friday, finally. And I'm sitting at work dragging out any work I have with intermittent breaks because I need to make it last the entire day.
During my most recent break (well, a few minutes ago) I decided to browse the livejournal site and look at a group I found last year. Pantry Pics is a group where people take pictures of their refrigerators and pantrys then post them online. Kind of weird when you first think about it, but when you actually go and look at the pictures it's kind of cool. It's not often you get to see a complete strangers food stores and it's funny what you can learn about someone from that alone. Some people are loaded down with fresh veg, others have almost no food but plenty of alchol. And then there are the pantrys of people who are not American. I love looking at the different food products from other countries (going into grocery stores while I was traveling was often a highlight of my trip. When I was in Stockholm I dragged Jo to a Swedish grocery store and made her tell me what things were...)
Well, just now I was looking at pictures of some one who, it turns out, is English. I could tell from the Sainsbury's olive oil, the Heinz Baked Beans, and marmite on the shelves. And it occurred to be that I've only been home 3 weeks. Three measely weeks! Yet, the time I spent in England seems SO long ago. It doesn't feel like I was gone as long as I actually was. For some reason (thus far) things haven't been all that hard to readjust to. Perhaps it's because I've been so busy and basically just jumped right into my job. I haven't really had time to just sit and let it all sink it. Maybe I just need some more time. But still, it stuns me that less than a month ago I was in Dublin exploring the city on my own. Less than a month ago I was sitting in the kithen with Jo and we were making breakfast and catching up on all that was going on.
What's more, when I think about all the things I did at Sussex and begin to miss it all slightly, what I really find myself missing is Jo. Honestly, given a choice between visiting Sussex with Jo and visiting Stockholm with her - I'd pick Stockholm. Everytime I tell someone that it was one of my favorite places I think they are a bit confused - I think Jo is even a bit confused. But I honestly really liked it there. She's spending the summer living with her friend Charlotte (whom I met and really liked) and a tiny part of me wishes I was there with them. Perhaps it was the freedom of traveling and not having school work stress me out. Of having a local there with me to translate and get me from place to place - but Stockholm was just a fantastic place to visit. It was a city surrounded by water and filled with beautiful architecture. Everyone was friendly, it was easily navigated, and just a friendly place.
I keep saying I'm going to put together a package for her... and I really should do that. So far I want to send her:
~ Cheeze Its (I kept talking about them, she wants to try them)
~ a Red Sox hat (everyone wears Yankees hats,,, tisk tisk,,, I made her promise never to wear one)
~ maple sugar candy (i brought her back REAL maple syrup in may and she loved it)
~ a recipe for corn chowder (no one over there understands what chowder is)
~ i would send her Peanut Butter, but its too heavy
~ that Oscar Meyer pre-cooked bacon (we used to complain about how you couldn't get streaky bacon in the UK, and I think she would find the fact that it's already cooked hilarious, and very "American")
anyone have any ideas for "american things" that travel well?
During my most recent break (well, a few minutes ago) I decided to browse the livejournal site and look at a group I found last year. Pantry Pics is a group where people take pictures of their refrigerators and pantrys then post them online. Kind of weird when you first think about it, but when you actually go and look at the pictures it's kind of cool. It's not often you get to see a complete strangers food stores and it's funny what you can learn about someone from that alone. Some people are loaded down with fresh veg, others have almost no food but plenty of alchol. And then there are the pantrys of people who are not American. I love looking at the different food products from other countries (going into grocery stores while I was traveling was often a highlight of my trip. When I was in Stockholm I dragged Jo to a Swedish grocery store and made her tell me what things were...)
Well, just now I was looking at pictures of some one who, it turns out, is English. I could tell from the Sainsbury's olive oil, the Heinz Baked Beans, and marmite on the shelves. And it occurred to be that I've only been home 3 weeks. Three measely weeks! Yet, the time I spent in England seems SO long ago. It doesn't feel like I was gone as long as I actually was. For some reason (thus far) things haven't been all that hard to readjust to. Perhaps it's because I've been so busy and basically just jumped right into my job. I haven't really had time to just sit and let it all sink it. Maybe I just need some more time. But still, it stuns me that less than a month ago I was in Dublin exploring the city on my own. Less than a month ago I was sitting in the kithen with Jo and we were making breakfast and catching up on all that was going on.
What's more, when I think about all the things I did at Sussex and begin to miss it all slightly, what I really find myself missing is Jo. Honestly, given a choice between visiting Sussex with Jo and visiting Stockholm with her - I'd pick Stockholm. Everytime I tell someone that it was one of my favorite places I think they are a bit confused - I think Jo is even a bit confused. But I honestly really liked it there. She's spending the summer living with her friend Charlotte (whom I met and really liked) and a tiny part of me wishes I was there with them. Perhaps it was the freedom of traveling and not having school work stress me out. Of having a local there with me to translate and get me from place to place - but Stockholm was just a fantastic place to visit. It was a city surrounded by water and filled with beautiful architecture. Everyone was friendly, it was easily navigated, and just a friendly place.
I keep saying I'm going to put together a package for her... and I really should do that. So far I want to send her:
~ Cheeze Its (I kept talking about them, she wants to try them)
~ a Red Sox hat (everyone wears Yankees hats,,, tisk tisk,,, I made her promise never to wear one)
~ maple sugar candy (i brought her back REAL maple syrup in may and she loved it)
~ a recipe for corn chowder (no one over there understands what chowder is)
~ i would send her Peanut Butter, but its too heavy
~ that Oscar Meyer pre-cooked bacon (we used to complain about how you couldn't get streaky bacon in the UK, and I think she would find the fact that it's already cooked hilarious, and very "American")
anyone have any ideas for "american things" that travel well?