Here I am in the United States. More specifically in the city where I went to college, sitting at the Bagel Shop, one of my usual haunts when I was here. It's good...it smells like bagels. I missed bagels when I was in Peru. But now I'm at the bagel shop and I miss Peru.
I am re-entry shocked as all get out. I truly am happy to be here and it's been fantastic seeing old friends and being encouraged by so many different people though. It 's been a...weird experience coming back to the States, seeing what exactly is shocking to me, as well as how I behave differently amongst "mi gente" now.
Just in case you are wondering what's going up here in this cabeza of mine, here are the ways I have been re-entry shocked. Some of these were like a little wool sweater on a winter day electrical shock. Some were like a cardio defribillator.
Top Ten Things that re-entry shocked me when I got back:
- I flushed toilet paper in the actual toilet (oh by the way, you can't flush the toilet paper in Peru. I did it in the States, but it took me a while to think about it and not fear a massive clogging)
- I drank from a public water fountain (I was still suspicious)
- I got a free refill on a 16 ounce drink (In Peru, they don't drink many liquids with meals like we do. Oftentimes, you'll have about 12 ounces of something to last you the whole meal and there are no refills. You really learn how to ration something out)
- I ate a bagel sandwich (We don't have bagels in Peru. it was good, but the shock came later to my stomach...US food chemicals are rough on the barriga)
- The vegetables here taste like nothing, and everything has a slight hint of plastic (Basically everything is organic in Peru. If I eat chicken for lunch, there's a 90% chance it was killed that day)
- People keep asking me questions in English, and I respond in Spanish
- I watched TV....and the majority of the channels are in English
- I felt like the water pressure of the shower was going to peel my face off
- Water gets reeeeeaally hot here, reeeaaaally fast
- Cars are gigantic...as are most other things in the United States.
That's it for now. I am currently still adjusting to life in the United States, and doing it with the blessing of seeing my friends again!
3 comments:
Peru misses you too!!!! I need you to come back... I don't like experiencing things without you. Last night... I ....ate chifa.... that I had picked the chicken out of.... and nibbled at some noodles in chicken broth. where were you for this monumental experience? And where were you when my stomach hated me alllll night long and into the morning? I can't handle waking up without you here, it takes me at least another 20 minutes to fully wake up in the mornings. And you know it takes me a while. You need to come back.... and ...never leave [me].
By the way I'm jealous of your bagel coffee friend time. but not of the whole being surrounded by processed chemically rearranged foods. ;-) lurve you! -chata.
Gillian,
I think I had all the same shocks, but the most relieving shock was #1 on your list. Ah, the joys...
It looks like I have all kinds of goodies to look forward to. Thanks for the heads up.
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