WELCOME!!
You thought I was done... HA!
I have a whole new set of stories to tell, my dear friends. Ready, set, go!
I have been back from Buenos Aires for 3 months now, and I will be the first to admit how difficult it has been. Of course getting off of the plane and being greeted by hugs and smiles from those that I love was phenomenal. I missed them all very much. However, what those smiling faces do not know is that I cried the whole way home. I didn't want to cry. I thought I was more mature than that. But it was uncontrollable. Those of you who know me know that I don't cry, especially not in front of people. Well, I sobbed, runny nose, hiccups and all. I felt like I was leaving home too early, that my experience shouldn't have ended. And quite honestly, I was terrified to go home. I knew that I had changed, but I had no idea how much, and what kind of impact that would make on my Tulsa home life.
How can a place that I called home for 21 years suddenly become so foreign? How did the city that I lived in for six little months become so comfortable? I wish I could explain it. I don't know how my heart became so connected to Buenos Aires (a city that I originally hated) and why this proud Tulsa girl felt (feels) so much distance so close to "home".
Things in Tulsa feel surreal, mundane, and frankly, completely strange. I felt this at a smaller level when I came back from France in July 2009. I was in France for an internship for 2 months, and when I came back, I felt impatient toward things at home. I couldn't figure out why I was annoyed so quickly and so easily by everything, but I could feel a change. Coming back from a six month stay in Buenos Aires, I am able to pinpoint exactly what this feeling is. It comes from reverese culture shock. It's not an uncommon feeling, according to the broad google search that I did. However, while the feeling is normal, sometimes it's difficult to identify the reasons.
I'll go ahead and tell you the motives of this blog.... it's my senior project, or at least a compenent of it. From timing, too many choices, the awkward spanglish that leaves my lips to the all around identity search that is internally occuring, I'll tell you my reasons for this peculiarity. Maybe they'll apply to you returnees also.
I would really love if you all would leave comments maybe telling me about your experiences as well? Or comments in general.
