Home in America. Week 2.

Installment 2 of the transition back to home/America/life as normal (old normal? familiar normal?):

I've come to realize that a lot of the culture shock that's been hitting me is social.  Three years is a long time to be gone and there have been a lot of changes, particularly in the last year or so.  Minnesota culture sort of stays the same in a charming way, but there is a lot of variance to how things used to be.  For one, people are working and are busy now while I'm free (touched on this before, but the concept has permeated further in the last week).  When I've been here before, it's been Busyville central - I was running around and on a limited schedule - but now that I have more time and am home permanently (to a degree)... I'm feeling the difference.  My friends are more settled in their jobs and careers, which is good, but the free time is sort of a mixed blessing in ways.  I'm living at home and am dependent upon my parents for a car (which I have to compete with my college-aged brother for), which adds another layer, especially after 3 years of living alone and being able to hop on a train to go wherever whenever I wanted to. A lot of people have stayed here, but there are also many people that aren't here and I feel that difference, too.  Those that are here have also changed in further ways.  Again, I said this before, but a lot of friends have gotten married or even have kids.  I think this is a wonderful thing, but now the girlfriends I used to talk to a lot or go out with now go home early and hang out with their husbands (formerly the boyfriends we used to chat about) or have to get to bed for work, so they're busier and have different priorities and schedules.  You'd think it'd be similar to before, but it's definitely... different.  

Maybe I've changed, too.  I know I have.  I feel older (mature is a better word?) and have all these memories and experiences I'm trying to fit into context and am figuring out how to do it slowly.  Minneapolis (while constant in cultural traits) seems smaller than I remember it (literally).  Very flat.  Very spread out. And not necessarily boring, but the little things that I found exciting before are sort of nostalgic but not necessarily thrilling.  Japan is just very unique, so I guess getting back to normal now feels like the adjustment rather than fitting my home culture into a context that I expect to be foreign.  I think it matters that I'm not making adventures to do the exciting things and trying to relax, so I'm feeling the burn of slowing down a bit.  It probably comes down to the fact that I'm the type of person who likes to be busy and not having something to do (school, works, etc), even with vacation time, gets old after a bit.  I haven't just been sitting around but I guess I like purpose and am ready to have one again soon.

All that and way too much analyzation aside, I guess I haven't only been sitting around.  Had a really great day on Friday.  Met an old coworker and her husband for lunch downtown (realizing the new stadium is well on it's way - huge new complex!?!).  This friend left Minneapolis to work for a retailer based in New York around the time I left for Japan and it was fun catching up and hearing about the coast I'll soon be calling home.  That night, I went to a bachelorette (for the sister of a friend who now lives in NYC, too) and went rode the pedal pub, basically a bar with 5 bikes on each side that you ride around the city.  My butt hurts because I was a little too short and had to reach for the pedals (back to being in the land of tall Scandinavians and Germans!), but it was a really interesting experience and everyone we rode past waved or yelled out, which was pretty cool.  The party ended early, so I drove to meet yet another friend from Norway/CLV in town for a wedding who did the Peace Core and also lives in NYC (yeah, I know... NY day?!).  We met at a pub, where I ran into a group of college friends and some other camp friends.  A lot of catching up and loved seeing them, but that was all in one day alone.  Spent Saturday lunching with a girlfriend from school and then spent Sat night at a friend's house, making Japanese food (enough for 20 people to serve 3!), talking politics, sipping homemade beer (the "Brendawisen"... it was great - my friend Chris is amazing!) and then saw a friend from high school again and went to a wedding reception for even more Norway/camp friends on Sunday night.  Lots going on.

I'm really glad I have so much time at home, but will probably find myself with a handful of errands to do when it's time to move again in 2 weeks.  

Anyways, doing fine and working on getting back into the swing, but I'll check in again soon.  I'll probably a few more posts on this blog before I sign off for good (maybe start a new one for New England?), but until then... Coping. Having fun. Loving the time with family. And definitely grateful for the last 3 years, even if it means I'm not "settled down" (that was a joke from last time if the sarcasm didn't translate)...