Friday, July 1, 2011

On coming home

The Bolt bus from NYC to Boston is the perfect place for reflection.  Yes, folks. That’s right. I am officially in the USA.

People talk a lot about “reverse culture shock”, which I think is a little ridiculous in terms of study-abroad. I have lived in the United States for 20 years before I lived in Spain for less than one, so I have got the whole American thing down; I will be ok. Of course, there are plenty of differences between the United States and Spain, meaning I can think of a lot of little things I will miss while I am here in America.
  • My host family
  • Having Spanish all around me
  • Being a novelty in class (as the only foreign person)
  • My Spanish for foreigners class
  • Jamón (ham), freshly baked bread, olive oil, sangria, mahou beer, manchego cheese
  • Lateral Restaurante
  • Public drinking/ botellones
  • Having someone be excited to see me no matter what (host brother)
  • Never eating dinner alone
  • The wide streets and urban beauty of Madrid
  • Amazing clubs
  • Never having to do dishes/laundry
  • The amazing Madrid metro
  • Traveling every other weekend
…and of course, there are so many reasons why I am excited to be back home:
  • Seeing my family and friends, meeting my niece
  • AMERICAN BREAKFAST
  • hummus, peanut butter, skim milk, dunkin donuts, spicy food, unsalted food, Ice
  • Seeing people work out, having the ability to work out
  • Having more clothes to wear than what fits in two suitcases
  • Being enrolled at Boston University
  • Picking what and when I eat
  • Cooking
  • Having an income
  • Wearing shorts, flip-flops and/or sneakers in public
  • Good ‘ol American ORDER, SPEED and SERVICE
  • Boston

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