I just got back from a long trip. Three weeks with my family in the US, two weeks in Hawaii, and one week in New York City. If that plan sounds pretty crazy- it was. Travelling was fun, but by the end I was bottomlessly exhausted. It may have been the flights or the New York subway system (or both!) but by the time I arrived back to England, I was tired to my very bones. And it felt good to be home.
Sometimes you need to go away to know a place is home. Coming back to Oxford was like stepping back into my comfort zone. The weather, the food, my bed were all old friends I was so happy to see again. After such a long trip, it felt so nice to sink back into a normal routine.
Arriving back from our trip this time underlined to me how much I have come to see England as my home. I am still American, but I feel used to British life and customs now. Before I left I was bored: I wanted to see new places and explore the world. Now, I am appreciating anew the joy of British life–my church, the countryside, taking the train, chilly weather.
But this new joy is a bitter sweet one, because as I celebrate my return home I do so with the knowledge that it is short lived. In a few weeks (maybe five or six), we will head off for a new adventure. We haven’t decided where we are going, but having cut my ties to Oxford last spring, we have no reason to stay. I look forward to exploring new places—and hopefully finding new jobs (!). But if we came back in a few years… I wouldn’t mind.
I can identify with a foreign place feeling like home after living there long enough. I’m so excited for the next step for you guys! Yay for new adventures!
It’s so true that we appreciate the places we live so much more right when we’re about to leave them.