Oh my.
I am surprised how everything that is important can fit into a suitcase. Coming here, I had problems making it all fit. Coming back? I realize how little one really needs.
The airport is- well, you know how when you're a kid at Chuck. E Cheese and it's the best thing in the world? And then you go back as an adult and it's kind of...really loud and crowded and annoying? That's how international flights are on the way home.
At least the view is amazing.
Across a few time zones, the drink cart comes through. We get free drinks because it's a 10+ hour flight. I order a cocktail at 10 am. The lady next to me looks over judgmentally. Lady. I've flown like six flights in the past couple months. This one will be 8 hours more. Let me drink.
After hours and hours, we- oh my god- see American greenery.
That's one thing Europe doesn't have on us. This sheer amount of green is unique to America. And you know what? I kind of missed it.
We land, and of course it isn't done then.
There's customs. I have a bottle of limoncello I bought from duty free for my family. I am 20. The guy nearly confiscates it.
His error: I have been on a plane for 10 hours and I am very tired. I all but snarl at him that I bought this in Europe. where I can legally buy alcohol at 20, and this is for my family. He finally allows me to take it on the promise that my family will be right there to get it.
I arrive to my family. My mom hugs me so hard my ribs nearly crack. I am so jet-lagged that I nod off on the way home.
Culture shock is real. I cry at home that night. After the constant go-go-go of Rome, the quiet of home to too much and it overwhelms me. It'll get better but at first I need about 24 hours of sleep.
My cat keeps looking at me as if I'll vanish any moment.
Hi, baby. Yes, I'm home.
