I love being back in the fall. Sure, we have plenty of trees in Chicago, but the colors of the leave

In the weeks leading up to my return, I prepared myself for the worst. I told myself ( and everyone else ) that it was going to be weird. That I would feel overwhelmed. That I wouldn t be able to adjust to being back in the United States after 13 months of traveling overseas.
And the tears that I expected to fall when I landed in Atlanta never fell. Instead, I inhaled a few chicken tacos at Qdoba, bemoaned the lack of free wi-fi and appreciated the fact that I could charge my iPod without an adapter plug.
When I finally arrived at Chicago's Midway airport, I simply smiled. I felt a sense of relief to be back on familiar ground – to be walking through an airport that I recognized and to be hopping onto a train into the city and knowing exactly where to go.
The next day, I headed to another familiar place: car rental in united kingdom Target. I was grinning from ear to ear as I wandered through the store and realized that nothing had changed in 13 months all of my favorite products were in the same place.  I was able to refill my makeup supply and stock up on Neutrogena soap, Rice Chex, peanut butter M Ms and Diet Coke.
I walked around neighborhoods I used to live in and appreciated the little things. I marveled at the appearance of fresh food carts. I went to Chipotle ( a few times! ), chowed down on gluten free stuffed pizza at Chicago Pizza Pasta and ordered Thai take out.
I met up with friends for a welcome home party at the same bar where I had my going away party and the biggest car rental in united kingdom change was that the bar now serves sweet potato tater tots ( yum! ). I was nervous to see my friends again because I afraid I wouldn't be able to relate to them anymore – or that they wouldn't be able to relate to me. But the conversation flowed surprisingly well and it wasn't long before I was feeling as if I had never left.
Sure, I had to sit and think for at least a minute or two before car rental in united kingdom I drove a car for the first time, trying to remember which pedal was the break and which was the accelerator. But even rush hour traffic in the Twin Cities car rental in united kingdom feels tame compared to the congestion of Moscow or the craziness of Tbilisi .
And yes, I had to stop myself from picking some random berries to eat as I walked through a park near my parents' house – and then ask myself why I was stopping since I ate wild berries and other fruit fairly often in Central Asia – and then tell myself that somehow berries in Minnesota might be different so I still shouldn't eat them. In the end, I kept walking.
I love being back in the fall. Sure, we have plenty of trees in Chicago, but the colors car rental in united kingdom of the leaves around the Twin Cities are just gorgeous – as vibrant and rich as the foliage in St. Petersburg last year. I don't know that I ever noticed the leaves changing colors in the past.
I love having a significantly larger wardrobe that I can store in a closet and dresser – that I have clothes that I actually like and that fit me and make me look and feel like a normal person. I love wearing heels and makeup and my favorite black trench coat. I love drying my hair with a hair dryer and styling it with a curling iron. I love having my choice of cute Coach purses to carry instead of the same old worn out shoulder bag.
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Hahah, when I came home smack in the middle of the recession back in March 2009 after 2+ years overseas, the immigration agent asked where I was going to stay and I responded, with an eyeroll- with my parents . He had a good laugh and sent me on my way.
You have to answer questions on re-entry to the US on a US passport that s incredible. car rental in united kingdom No one at customs in NZ has ever made any comment except welcome home now that airports are automated for NZ passport holders I don t even have that conversation. car rental in united kingdom I ve re-entered car rental in united kingdom after absences of years and no official ever asks why would they?
I get interrogated every time I go back to the US on my US passport because of the places I visit and how long I m gone and the sheer number of Aus entry and departure stamps in my passport and I m a 25 year old white girl from Montana). My favourite time was when they looked through car rental in united kingdom my passport and started playing 20 questions about my 3 week trip to Turkey.
I remember being partly overwhelmed and partly in wonder when I went back to the States after 4 years away. Not necessarily culture shock, but even then it was just a visit. The part I liked the best was being able to speak English EVERYWHERE.
Glad to hear it wasn t what you had braced yourself for! For me, each time I go back to the US, I feel more and more culture shock. car rental in united kingdom A lot has changed in the 3 1/2 years I ve been living in Italy. But I sure do miss Target!
Thanks! So far I ve been so busy I haven t even had time to be depressed. I also haven t done much catching up or getting together with people, but organizing Meet, Plan, Go in Minneapolis was a nice distraction and gave me a chance to meet other travel-minded people here, which has been great.
Aw, welcome back to North America. I am so glad your re-entry was wonderful and not painful in the least. I don t think wanting to dress nice again is materialistic! You are a girl girl obviously and that was on hold for 13 months. I am excited to see how you plan and navigate your life and plans from here on out (if of course you plan on blogging this stuff).
Thanks! It s funny, I would never consider myself a girly-girl, but after a year of not doing my hair, not wearing heels and not dressing in a way that is stylish/fashionable, it feels so good to be doing all that again!
I really enjoyed this post! I now feel the same way when I go home after long bursts of travel. I think it s the observation and openness that we develop on the road which allows us to see our homelands with the same eyes with which we observe new locations abroad. I m actually looking forward to going home to Canada after finishing my current travels through South America. I ll be home just in time for Christmas!
I find I get really bad reverse culture shock going from Australia back to the US. Never get it going from anywhere else back to Australia though. I think it s because at first they seem so similar (same basic food, English speakers everywhere, western culture, etc). It wasn t until I lived in Australia and then went back for the first time after 2 years that I started seeing (what I consider) major differences. No matter how much I brace myself for them it still hits me everytime I go back! Everywhere else I visit is so different from Aus and the US though that I don t get reverse culture shock in those instances and am just glad that I can eat bacon again and go to the corner shop to get peanut butter.
I. Love. This. Post. Thank you for your honesty and humor. And no, in my opinion, liking the simple comforts car rental in united kingdom of home does not make you how did you put it (scrolling back up) shallow or materialistic . Knowing it makes you self aware and admitting it makes you truthful. Love this.
Katie is a thirty-something native of Minnesota & 10 year resident of Chicago who quit her job in August 2011 to spend a year volunteering and traveling through car rental in united kingdom all 15 countries of the former Soviet Union. In addition to being obsessed with travel, Katie is a sports fanatic and running car rental in united kingdom enthusiast who has been gluten free since 2010.