It’s been a week since my squad returned to the states.
7 days home.
7 days of constant adjusting.
I honestly did not expect it to be this weird, like I’d just woken up from the most intense dream of my life. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s woken up from a dream and question whether or not it was real, because it totally felt real!
Anyway, back to the re-entry process!
Being back in the states, you realize some things. Things like you’re far from able to eat American-sized portions anymore (not that it’s a bad thing, really). Things like how weird it is to know that you’re no longer restricted to a buddy system when you go outside. I have not done that yet, unless you count a run to the grocery store, which by the way…NO MORE SMALL BUDGET!!! With that, it’s so SO quiet.
I’m very much an internal processor and with that I tend to need to be alone in order to efficiently figure out and gather my own thoughts. I’ve always found it difficult to know what I’m thinking when I’m surrounded by a lot of chaotic noise.
(I’m gonna try to salvage this blog from the rabbit trailing now)
Anyway, a lot of the adjusting involves detoxing and trying to fix your own sleep schedule. I have randomly fallen asleep so much this past week!
I guess to sum it all up, after being away from “the norm” for 11 months, you’re bound to develop new habits and think about the world differently and returning to that norm that is no longer normal brings about a good amount of reverse culture shock. So if you’re a fellow Racer coming back home after such a long and amazing journey or perhaps a family member or friend of said Racer, have a lot of grace for yourself and that other person. Adjusting is not easy!
^_^
