Reverse Culture Shock

Last night was the first night I don't remember dreaming in Creole.

I will have been back in the States a week this evening. I always forget how hard it is to settle back in. It's not any one thing, really, but more of a general off-balanced feeling that comes from the collection of small details of life that change from one setting to another. Coming back, there's such a mix of things to process. For one thing, it takes time for those experiences to incorporate themselves into your concept of yourself. Your life away can be so different that it takes up its own little compartment in your mind, separate from your "real life."

And, there's something of a mourning process, too. There are all of the favorites things that you miss- the ocean, the spontaneous music, the rhythm of Creole chatter...and the friendships that you've built so quickly. Not only is it possible that you never go back or that many of your goodbyes are final but also, you know that if you do go back, it won't be the same as before; the faces would change (at least most of your international companions, anyway), and you could be starting over again.

So what's the solution? Staying busy for a while is generally my preference, which makes being on "vacation" a little difficult.
I'm getting to see a lot of my dearest friends, but other than eating, sleeping, and socializing, my activity has been minimal. Thankfully, I'll be getting into my own routine again soon, or I'd worry about feeling depressed. I forget how much stimulation is simply inherent in life abroad. Even when you maintain a seemingly mundane routine, you don't feel bored because the background is so different from what you know. The landscape, language, food, culture, etc. keep the mind active and engaged.

Anyway, I think I'll be here in Atlanta for a few more days, and then make the drive to DC on the 24th, stopping in Richmond for the night. I'll head to NYC for a long weekend, and classes start up again on the 29th.