I <3 Home
May 21st, 2007 -- Posted in >8] | 1 Comment »And we’re back!!
I got back earlier today. I took a shower in my OWN shower which has A LOT of SPACE. And now I’m on MY computer using my INTERNET without worry of TIME or COST. I’m sitting here in MY OFFICE in MY APARTMENT. I am so glad to be home.
But being home isn’t so much about ownership. It’s about familiarity and a sense of belonging. It’s driving down streets I know, seeing sights that I recognize and chatting with friends who I share a history with. This is home.
I’m back in America: land of free, home of the brave. I can order at restaurants in full sentences and have actual conversations with people. I don’t have to worry about gypsies or pickpockets. I feel centered.
Overall, the trip was great. Towards the end, Em and I reflected on whether we would do anything different (overall). A lesson learned — well a lesson reinforced — was that you get museum-ed/cathedral-ed out quite quick. Also, 2 weeks seems sufficient to see the whole Iberian peninsula. In my opinion, it would’ve been nice to mix it up with a completely different culture (UK, Germany, or Scandinavia).
The feeling of being home can be summarily described in my experience on the final leg from Frankfurt to SFO today. I sat in the rear of the plane with a massive group of graduating seniors (high school) from San Diego who were coming back from Israel. I chatted a bit with one of the kids sitting next to me and he sounded so… cali. So SoCali actually. And it felt like home. As we flew over the bay area, I pointed out the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Coliseum. He kept on telling me how San Diego was the greatest city. As we deboarded, I overheard him say he would kiss American soil once we exited the pedestrian bridge. Oh how I felt the same way!
And the customs official did the thing that I love when I come back from a long trip overseas. After overlooking my passport and chit chatting about vacation he ended with a nice, “Welcome home.”
