I can’t believe it has already been a month since I left Italy. It’s funny how quickly things revert to normal, especially after spending 4 months on my own in a foreign country. However, I have noticed some things that are a little off now.
Our food is horrible. Not just tasting, but for you. My first week or two after coming home, I had a horrible tummy ache. I didn’t really want to eat anything because it all tasted funky and it made me feel sick. The funny thing is that mom and dad noticed it too and they only spent a 10 days out of the country. Clearly America is doing something wrong with our food that 10 days away makes it readily apparent. Not to mention all the salt, sugar, and overwhelming amounts of disgusting cheese on everything. Honestly, I knew our food was horrible for us, but after 4 months of eating really good and healthy food, it’s much worse. Just looking at the ingredients lists between the two countries shows how significant the difference is. In Italy, their version of Cheetos have 5 ingredients. FIVE INGREDIENTS. In America, there are over 20 ingredients. Why do we feel the need to throw in a ton of unnecessary ingredients when it tastes just fine with only 5?! Anyway, enough ranting. I’ll move on now.
The first shower I took once I got home was a bit of a wake up, although not in a bad way. As soon as I stepped under the spray, I felt like I was going to be blasted through the floor from the water pressure. I also forgot that most showers in the States don’t give you the option of turning down the water pressure, which Italy does. That wasn’t always a welcome option in Italy when you had a tiny shower and every time you moved you were turning the water off, but still. Those first few days back home it would have been nice not to feel like my skin was about to be blasted off!
The most welcome change from Italy to the States (although that may be unique to the south, I can’t remember) is having people smile at you when you make eye contact walking down the street. In Italy, people just stare. And if you try to smile and nod, they look at you like you are completely insane! You may not really realize it, but (at least for me) those little acknowledgments kind of make your day a little better, even if it’s just a courtesy smile. And not being stared at like you’re a freak of nature is nice too.
Within days of being home, I missed the easy access to the country that Italy has. Between the trains and the ability to walk everywhere, life was just so much easier. Not to mention, you get in much better shape. I averaged between 10- and 15,000 steps every day, even when I was just walking between class and home. And there was always a hill between you and your destination in Italy, so you definitely got some cardio in. On top of that, you can’t buy a bunch of food and snacks at the grocery store because you then have to carry it up the hill back home. Who wants to lug a bunch of crappy snacks and drinks up the hill when you can easily go without by drinking water and eating the fruit at home?
For now, those are my few little problems with returning home. Although, to be honest, I’m starting to go a little stir crazy now. Not having new experiences every few days or weeks is driving me insane. I’ve already completely purged and reorganized my room, my linen closet, and the kitchen pantry. There are only so many things to keep me busy around the house right now. I didn’t realize how much I relied on work and school. They may not have provided NEW experiences, but they always kept my brain busy and thinking which I am sorely missing right now. If anyone has any ideas of what I can be doing, please let me know. I’m currently job hunting, but I need something to fill the time!
I'm going to try to post something at least once a month, especially in relation to exciting things to do or places to go here in Oklahoma. I'm not sure how long those exciting things will last around here, but I'll try!
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