On Life – Less than 24 hours until our adventure…
I’m enjoying the chilly morning before everyone else is up. Well, I’ll bet you Chickpea is up, but sweet Ginny took her and Allison (Chick’s friend her same age) for a sleepover. Grace and peace to you, Aunt Ginny. I’m enjoying a very rare quiet morning. Thanks for that gift.
Right now I’m in No Man’s Land. Mentally, I’m not really here. But I’m also not quite in the States yet. Our house is a total wreck, so cleaning is on my agenda today. But we’re packed, and there’s nothing else really to prepare for our trip except to just go.
I’m really so curious how we’re going to handle re-entry. Well, it’ll be re-entry for me and Kabob – for Chickpea, it’ll be culture shock. She knows more of this culture than American culture now. Garbanzo has no idea – he’ll giggle and drool wherever.
Off the top of my head, I know these things will weird me out:
- Getting in a car and getting clear across the city in only 30 minutes
- Having an entire aisle dedicated to cereal
- Understanding conversations around me without even trying
- People talking loudly in restaurants
- Big church (and I mean BIG compared to here)
- A set agenda at church
- Separate Sunday schools at church
- Church on stage
- Needing to be on time
- Lots of “welcome home!”s, and having no idea what to do with that
- Reading recipes and craft ideas online, and realizing I can easily get the supplies for all of it – no substitutions needed
- Needing to plan more than a few hours in advance to get together with someone
- Driving
- Cheaper gas prices (yes, cheaper)
- Waiters that strike a nice balance between paying attention to you, but not paying too much attention you (seems like here, it’s either/or)
- Free water at restaurants
- Free refills at restaurants
- Big drinks at restaurants
- Ice in your drinks at restaurants
- Ice anywhere
- The general expansiveness of a typical American city – grass, space between buildings and houses, plenty of parking
- Backyards
- Parks with relatively updated, safe equipment
- Kids expected to sit still and be quiet in restaurants (help me now, Lord…)
- Kids not being photographed as though they’re Brad Pitt, just because they’re blonde
- Kids pretty much having a schedule in their life (bedtime at 8? What’s that?)
- Items bought online actually coming to me in a decent amount of time – instead of ordering, then waiting for a trip across the pond
- Having to make appointments for dentists, doctors, and other professionals plenty of time in advance
- No major international fees when using the ATM machine or my debit card
- Massive bookstores where almost everything is in English
- A general instantaneousness about most things – quick restaurant service, quick waiting in checkout lines, quick talking, quick travel…
I could go on and on. And I’m sure I’ll discover more once we’re there.
In the meantime, be praying for us as we travel. I woke up with a cold, so pray I heal quickly and miraculously. Pray also for supernatural healing of the wiggleworms in both Chick and Garbanzo – I know the flight will be long and tiring, but I’m still “hoping for the best, expecting the worst.” And pray for gracious and kind people to sit next to us.
See you across the pond.
I laughed out loud at your mention of free refills, ice, etc. While I do not even kind of have the experience you have in a foreign country, I visited my boyfriend while he was studying abroad in Germany last year, and the drink situation was my least favorite part of it all. I couldn’t believe how spoiled we are in America. The first thing I did at the Frankfurt airport before my flight left was get a huge Coke – and I asked for extra ice.
I’m glad you’re going to get to see family and friends, but I’ll be praying for the transition!
I’m praying for a safe trip!!! Hope you feel better fast!
Not only will you get a lot of “welcome homes!” you’ll also get a lot of “are you having a good vacation?” It’s not a vacation. People mean well, though. I cried the first time we went to church. I think it was a mix of shock at the sensory overload and the pure joy of singing to Him together in one voice with 700 other brothers and sisters. Things will be very weird, but there are some things that are just so much sweeter. The familiarity of the faces of friends and family, at least this, did feel like coming home. Just to warn you…I gained, like, ten pounds while we were back. Thankfully, I’m finally back to my “China” weight.
I prayed for your lovely little family just now. I must say, I really enjoy your perspective on “US.” We take so much for granted here, and I love a fresh appreciation and a sound critique of it all. Plus, you have helped me in loving my missionaries better. I know better how they feel, and how to care for them when they are on furlough. And I know better what to expect if God ever sees fit to send us over the pond.
Blessings on you and your chicks!
I just followed the link from your SimpleMom site – and it’s so fun to read about your adventures as an expat family. Our family lived overseas for four years – we’ve been back in the States for 2 years now. But your list brings a huge smile to my face and a flood of fond memories.
I really enjoy SimpleMom – and I’m going to add this blog to my list of favorites, too!
Blessings to you and your family!
PS – I’ll send you an email invite to my blog and you can meet our family!
This is a late response to this post, but I was reading some of your older posts and as I read this one I could not help but laugh. We have 4 months left in a 2 year assignment in India and I am already gearing up for our move back to the states. We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and they have spent so much of their lives abroad, they are going to be shocked to settle into “typical” American lives. I could relate to every single point that you made (both my kids are blondies too and we can’t walk down the street with out people pulling out their phones and snapping pictures). If anything our time here in India has made me appreciate what we often take for granted while living in the states! Glad you guys made it home safe. I know those long flight with little ones can be challenging!