Shortly after this was chorused, we realized everyone also spoke English and thus we sounded like horrible, horrible people - particularly Ian, who added "I LOVE white people!" to the end of his wonderings.
I'm back in Cedar Rapids at this point, am almost over jet-lag, and am generally adjusting just fine to being back in the states. It really is wonderful to see all of my sorority sisters and other friends around campus. It is still strange and novel to wander around a college campus instead of a city block; to smell fresh air, with a hint of various blossoms, rather than tropical heat and car exhaust. I'm always cold, which is very strange to this Minnesota girl. Makes North Carolina a more welcome idea in my life. :) I actually had to borrow a pair of flats from a friend here to keep my toes from freezing off.
Some culture-shock-ish moments to report:
1. My second or third night back in the states, I went with a friend to the store. I didn't break down while pondering carbohydrates, as I was warned I might. Rather I was confused as to why all the swimsuits were so numerous. After all that season was over, most of the suits should be sold already; soon it would be too cold to swim. Then I remembered that although, that was how the seasons felt to me, it is indeed the start of summer here, not the end of it. Whitney and I had a good laugh about that thought process, when I shared it.
2. My phone fascinates me. I LOVE sending text messages and calling people. Friday evening I just sat and stared at it for a while, trying to think of people to message or call. Text messages don't always come out right the first time around though. Gonna need to redevelop some of that muscle memory.
3. I am getting over this, but for the first week or so being back, I had a very low "people quota" meaning, I could only deal with seeing so many people per day. I want to say last Thursday, I had lunch and coffee with two people and that was about all the socializing I could deal with. I knew that I should go see other friends, but I just couldn't, so I spent the evening as a hermit with one or two other people I was staying with, watching movies. This is so so weird for me. I normally love people and being around others. It's kind of a bummer I was a hermit during the week before finals and now want to socialize when everyone has tests. Oh well. Only two more days of tests, and then it's all social until graduation.
Countdowns:
5 days until I see my family!
6 days until graduation
8 days until I officially have a place to live...
49 days until Teach for America
1 comment:
Re 2) Oh, btw, my family picked up texting and doubled our monthly minutes allotment while you were gone, so I can actually receive SMS now if you ever try. (I mostly just use it for Identi.ca/Twitter/Facebook though.)
Re 3) Yeah...I have a low people limit pretty much always. Five or six (not counting immediate family, customers, etc.) is about all I can do before I get uncomfortable, particularly at once. Unless it's in text form on IRC - I can do a few thousand there no problem.
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