Re entry
So I've been back in the country for two weeks (not even!) yet it seems like forever. I've been home, to Ohio to visit family, and back even.
Things at home have proved to be much of the same. Things have changed here and there, but mostly they have gone as usual. I got to see a lot of my home friends, which was wonderful after so long. I have learned that with good friends, you always pick up where you left off no matter the span of time since you last saw each other. And sometimes there are groups that you just don't have a place with anymore. They're a part of the past and you just have to leave them there. And it's ok.
At first I wanted to pepper my vocabulary with Spanish words. Well, I still do because sometimes the Spanish word just describes things better. But I assumed since I wasn't that overly immersed while in Spain, coming back wouldn't be too bad. I was right and it hasn't been. But I still almost defaulted to Spanish when I was shopping at H&M. I had to tell myself not to talk to the fitting rooms guy in Spanish. I also pulled change out of my pocket later that day and came out with a fist full of quarters as well as euro coins. And it was the brown change (1,2,and 5 cents), which are all practically worthless. But it was kind of trippy. It was a trippy thinking-about-Spain type day.
The customer service here is almost annoyingly good. I prefer the Spanish way of being left alone while eating at a restaurant and not given the bill until I ask for it. But those waiters get things done, so I shouldn't complain.
Overall there are American things I like more as well as Spanish things I prefer. But there are things in Spain that used to drive me crazy, yet I find things here as well. No place is perfect, and I don't think either place is better. Places are just different. Merely different.
Anyway, I miss the Spain chicas, of course, but that's why the internet is a marvelous innovation that brings far lands closer. I miss my life in Spain, but I'm off to the next adventure. I have a road trip to California on the docket tomorrow. Two weeks ago I packed my life into ~120 lbs of stuff, now it fits into the trunk of a jetta. This whole thing moving to California thing doesn't quite seem real. Exciting! But surreal.
Another adventure means another journal. Or blog. (I still hate that word.) Where? I'm not quite sure yet. I might blogspot it, but we'll see.
Stay tuned.
Things at home have proved to be much of the same. Things have changed here and there, but mostly they have gone as usual. I got to see a lot of my home friends, which was wonderful after so long. I have learned that with good friends, you always pick up where you left off no matter the span of time since you last saw each other. And sometimes there are groups that you just don't have a place with anymore. They're a part of the past and you just have to leave them there. And it's ok.
At first I wanted to pepper my vocabulary with Spanish words. Well, I still do because sometimes the Spanish word just describes things better. But I assumed since I wasn't that overly immersed while in Spain, coming back wouldn't be too bad. I was right and it hasn't been. But I still almost defaulted to Spanish when I was shopping at H&M. I had to tell myself not to talk to the fitting rooms guy in Spanish. I also pulled change out of my pocket later that day and came out with a fist full of quarters as well as euro coins. And it was the brown change (1,2,and 5 cents), which are all practically worthless. But it was kind of trippy. It was a trippy thinking-about-Spain type day.
The customer service here is almost annoyingly good. I prefer the Spanish way of being left alone while eating at a restaurant and not given the bill until I ask for it. But those waiters get things done, so I shouldn't complain.
Overall there are American things I like more as well as Spanish things I prefer. But there are things in Spain that used to drive me crazy, yet I find things here as well. No place is perfect, and I don't think either place is better. Places are just different. Merely different.
Anyway, I miss the Spain chicas, of course, but that's why the internet is a marvelous innovation that brings far lands closer. I miss my life in Spain, but I'm off to the next adventure. I have a road trip to California on the docket tomorrow. Two weeks ago I packed my life into ~120 lbs of stuff, now it fits into the trunk of a jetta. This whole thing moving to California thing doesn't quite seem real. Exciting! But surreal.
Another adventure means another journal. Or blog. (I still hate that word.) Where? I'm not quite sure yet. I might blogspot it, but we'll see.
Stay tuned.