Home?

By Hailey Baker

I’ve returned from my overseas adventures, and it is definitely true what I was told about reverse culture shock. I became so used to always being on the go, always surrounded by people, always walking and exploring; suddenly I had loads of time and nowhere to go, with only a few people who I really wanted to see. Once I had to start driving everywhere again, my motivation to leave the house dwindled (I really dislike driving). I missed my study abroad group quite a bit during those first few days (and still do), although the few days we spent in Barcelona after the program were a fantastic way to end the trip! Even though I was only away for a little less than a month, it still feels like I have to transition back into my family and the U.S. Every day I remember little anecdotes about the trip that I’d forgotten, and I think my family is starting to get annoyed with my sharing all these anecdotes with them. We’re about to head to a lake for a weeklong vacation in a pretty secluded area though, so soon they’ll have nowhere to run!

It’s amazing how much studying abroad has expanded my comfort zone. I’m usually thrown for a loop whenever something happens out-of-routine (as I mentioned in previous posts), but I’ve developed some better coping skills and am more able to go with the flow. Even being home for just a week so far has shown me that. It also reminded me that I’m not a huge fan of Tennessee (where my family is still living at the moment); I step outside and feel like I’m swimming, thanks to the ninety percent humidity and hot temperatures. There’s also not a whole lot to do in the town where we live; the whole area feels like it moves in slow motion, or sits in stagnant mugginess. Like I said before, though, I was ready to come home to my family at the end of the trip; I definitely still like those comfort zones, regardless of the location. I think I would like to study abroad for a whole semester sometime in the future, perhaps somewhere in Europe again; it had a good balance of new experiences and familiar environments.

I am still determined to learn how to make mint tea at home. I brought back a little silver teapot and two tea glasses from Morocco, and apparently the only way to make Moroccan tea correctly is with one of these teapots (an American-style one would not do), so all I need are some tea leaves…and some instructions…and a few more glasses…but stay tuned, because it will happen, I guarantee it!