Adjusting to life back in the States...

It’s hard to believe I’ve been home for a little over two weeks now. The time goes so slow, yet so fast; mainly because I don’t have much left of it before I go off to my next adventure.  People have asked me what the hardest part about readjusting is but I don’t know what to tell them. I've always been a very laid-back, go with the flow type of person; so I haven't had any major problems, it’s just the little things that get me.  

I took my time getting my sleep schedule back on track but even that wasn’t that bad. It was actually kind of nice to get to bed early for once, and then waking up earlier gives you more sunlight in your day. But I did miss not having a social life for a week when most of my friends were still super night owls like I used to be.

So many people think of me as a picky eater and thought I was going to have trouble with the food in Spain, and I guess I was a little concerned myself; but now I miss Spanish food and how culturally different it is to eat a meal in Spain. Two words: comida and tapas. I promise that a future article will be dedicated to how Spain has changed my ideas on food. 

In Spain I missed having a car, not for city travel, but for weekend trips so I could be on my own and not worry about a bus schedule. The first time I got back into my car it dawned on me that I would have to drive everywhere again. Ogdensburg is not Salamanca. There is not a central area where everything you could possibly ever need is and the only thing close to it isn’t even a pedestrian zone. You can’t walk to a café, mainly because there aren’t any, but also because there aren’t any within an acceptable walking distance in America. In Spain everything in the entire city of Ogdensburg would be within an acceptable walking distance while in America we drive to get something 3 blocks away.  And when I do go to a coffee shop I am reminded that everything is bigger in America. Even though I only want a café con leche about the size of a double espresso shot, it comes in a large coffee mug, and isn’t nearly as good as the coffee in Spain. 

I just miss the simplicity of it all. I had nothing with me in Spain aside from some clothes, a few folders and binder clips, a pen, shoes, my laptop and Kindle. I only had what I used, and used rather often. Here I have so many things that I don’t need. I’ve known I need to simplify the clutter in my life for a while and living in Spain showed me how little I need.  I’m happy with just the basics and enough money in my pocket to travel a little and have a good time.  

And in the end, I miss being on vacation, relatively stress free with just a little school work to think of. But don’t worry; I know that it’s back to the real world. I’ve already been working for 3 weeks I have for “summer vacation” before going off to Middlebury College for French School, or camp, depending on how you look at it. I know it’s going to be a great time, but it’s also going to be a time when I’m losing money. So needless to say I’ve been working as many hours as they will let me. It will all be worth it, I’m thinking of saving my money to buy a ticket back to Spain… ;)