Back to Boston

So I've been back stateside for over a week and I haven't felt a single pang of culture shock. There's really been nothing to re-acclimate to. Maybe it's because my mind's been on this side of the Atlantic Ocean for a good long time. Maybe it's just because America's awesome and nobody should ever leave it. Dunno.

But here's the thing: would I have ever noticed the awesome things about living in this country (and Boston, to a certain extent) if I hadn't left? I doubt I'd be so amazed by complete strangers striking up a conversation on public transportation, by listening to hip-hop on the radio, by the American-ness (according to Dahl) of using wi-fi on a bus, by the lack of smokers (and, on a related note, the easiness of breathing after a late night), by just how critical linguistic familiarity is to grocery shopping/exercise classes/living...these little things, that I downplayed or never even noticed before I went away, just fill me with this inexplicable joy. I feel what I imagine many immigrants must feel--this utter gratefulness for what the United States can offer and an almost adamant insistence that I, and every other person on the earth, deserves every little wonderful bit of this. HGTV for everyone! Huzzah!

I think a lot of this is also due to Boston. As we passed Hopkinton, I saw the skyline on the horizon and felt like I was home again. Whether I'm walking down Newbury or biking late at night back from someone's sublet, I honestly can't imagine ever having wanted to leave. Although that OH MY GOD GET ME OUT OF HERE AND AWAY FROM THESE CRAZY PEOPLE feeling was kind of overtaking my life by the beginning of December. Life here is excellent (and I've been pleasantly surprised with more-than-adequate employment).

Oh, and they put in bike lanes on Comm. Ave. I officially have NO reason to return to the Netherlands.

Home.

Home! Finally! The flights were pleasant, and I had a devastatingly funny rabbinical student as a seatmate on the way across the pond. Upon my arrival in Philly, though, I learned that my bags were left behind in London. Hoping that they'll arrive by tonight, but hey, who knows. It would really be nice to have a cell phone charger and clean underwear. Like, REALLY nice.

The last few days in Nijmegen were brilliant and incredibly sad. In the absence of our actual family, we find family--and the Erasmus kids became my family in the last five and a half months. It hasn't quite hit me that they're so far away, but it won't be fun when it does.

In the absence of having a whole lot to do here, I'm just kicking back with the family and a couple friends, reveling in the joys of a clean house, DSW, and driving. I'm shipping up to Boston on Sunday. It's overwhelming, if you think about it...three homes and two countries within a week. But it's good to be back stateside. It really, really, really is.

There are already things I'm noticing about Americans: how harried we look, how sarcastic we can be, how helpful we are on the phone, how skimpily (is that a word?) we dress. I think I'll continue to update this blog periodically as I re-learn how to live here and try to define that nebulous thing we call American-ness. So stay tuned, kiddos.