A Final Adjustment

Well, we’ve made it to the end. I’m back in the States, and it’s back to 'real life'. Now that I’m back though, there’s more than just the time difference to adjust to. Good or bad, there were things I got used to while living abroad. I was warned about reverse culture shock, so I’m preparing myself already. I know for sure things I’m going to miss, but there are some things that I’m excited to have back.

What I’ll miss:

1.   At the top of this list is a no-brainer – the people. I started some really awesome relationships while in Oxford, and I’m going to miss them. Thankfully we have Facebook and other means of easy communication, but it’s nothing compared to being in the same city (or even the same house, as the case may be).

2.   Walking – Oxford is a very pretty city. Being a college town, it was cool to see all the different buildings from different eras, the old mixed with the new. There’s just so much history that you see every day. It was a good way to stay active too.

3.   Traveling frequently – I do need a break from my suitcase, but I will miss seeing all these new and exciting places. It’s been awesome to experience so many different cultures. It makes me want to explore my own country more too.

4.   Animals. Everywhere. I loved how dog-friendly the town was. All over Europe too. People brought their pets to restaurants or stores or you just saw them walking their dogs all through town. That’s not seen as much around here. Especially with restaurants. Animals aren’t allowed near food establishments, as it’s considered unhealthy. I am happy to have my own puppies back.

5.   Pub life – Late night dinners or just a place to hang out with friends, pubs usually had some of the best atmospheres of any place I went.

The in-between:

1.   Cash – I hardly ever carried cash at home, but I did a lot in England and, I don’t know, there was a certain convenience factor to it. It seems to me like Europe in general is still a cash-based society, while the US is definitely not. You buy something here and it could be worth a dollar and you still use your debit/credit card to pay for it. I’m not sure which I prefer, so it’s still an adjustment, but I don’t know if I’m going to miss it or if I’ll slip back into using plastic like everyone else.

2.   The weather – Some might feel like I would love to be back in Texas for the sunny weather, while others might think it would be obvious that the colder temperature is preferable to the 90+ degree heat here. Well, the problem is, both are true. I really enjoyed being able to wear shorts today and seeing the sun (I missed the sun these past few months, I really did). But I hate that I get sweaty just standing outside here, not even doing anything. There has to be some sort of trade-off with everything, I suppose, but even after experiencing both, I can’t definitively say which I prefer.

What I’m glad to have back:

1.   My car – As previously state, I liked walking in and out of town in Oxford. However, Oxford is pedestrian friendly. It’s really easy to walk or bike around because it has to be. The Woodlands (or really anywhere in the US that isn’t a big city like New York) is not. Now, it does have good bike paths, so there are some places I could bike to if I really wanted…but I don’t. It also goes back to the weather. Oxford had nice walking weather that Texas simply doesn’t. Plus, I find that I enjoy driving, so the point is, it’s nice having my Honda again.

2.   Small spoons – This may sound like a trivial thing, but I do not like big silverware. I don’t know why spoons in the UK are so massive, but anything that’s not a spoon used for stirring tea is huge. I’m ready for decently sized spoons.

3.   Dancing – I have seriously missed my time at Arthur Murray while I was gone, as well as my Swing Cats people. I didn’t get to go dancing but one time at the very end of the semester. Not ok.

4.   A job – It’ll be nice to be making more money than I’m spending.

5.   Last but most importantly, the people. I’m so glad to be close to my family and my friends that live here. In fact, since I’ve been home, I’ve only had one meal at my house. All the others have been out with people, catching up on life. It’s been wonderful.

There are some other things, but these are the main ones. Oxford really became a home to me over these past few months, and anytime you leave home and move to a new place, it takes a while to get used to. It’s weird that where I’m having to adjust to now is my actual home, but I can understand the saying “Home is where the heart is” a lot more personally now.

Well, thanks for following me through this journey. I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts and feelings with you all who have taken the time to read it. I hope I’ve made you think at least a little, along with giving you some snippets of my life abroad. I’m not very good with endings, but every ending is just a beginning to something else. Until next time!