| January 24, 2006 Mérida Musings 7: Un Corazón Dividido It has now been about six weeks since I returned from Mexico, and about two weeks since I returned to Centre. My departure from Mérida that fateful day in December was quite bittersweet – I bade a tearful adios to my Mexican mamá and papá and cried all the way to the airport, knowing it would be a good while before I saw another Minis 2000 bus or another Oxxo. But of course, I was glad to be home as well. My first act upon reaching American soil was to visit a Starbucks for a tall coffee and a bagel – which I almost ordered in Spanish, before stopping myself. And to kill time during my layover in Cleveland, I began re-establishing myself in my American life: I moved American money and my credit card back into my old wallet, and I went through my cell phone to delete all the “001” country codes from my phone book. Finally, I arrived home to Louisville, KY, braving the bitter unfamiliar cold. My family was a welcome sight, especially after three months away (and after my grueling day in various airports). They did mob me a little, and I found myself answering the same questions (“Did you have a good time in Mexico?”) over and over, and discovering that it’s rather difficult to sum up a life-changing experience in a one-sentence response. |
It was then that the lessons on reverse culture shock that we had been given in Humanities began to get some use. Instead of gabbing on about my experiences to the point where the stories lose their effectiveness, I chose only certain things to share with my family and friends. I know that in the coming weeks and months, there will be opportunities to impart more tales of my travels, and they will mean more on those occasions. For instance, a few days after my return, I accepted an invitation to speak to my little sister’s high school Spanish class and share with them the wonders that await those who study abroad. It was great, because I was able to tell stories and display souvenirs for a group of (mostly) eager listeners. |
