Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Send Me on My Way

The leaves are starting to fall and the colors have already started to change in the Alps. The temperature is planned to drop from 17 C (62 F) today, 11 C (51 F) tomorrow, and end the week at 7 C (44 F). It's time to go. Time to go home.
Not that any ending is truly an ending. Like Orson Wells (that dirty old man) said, "If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story." And I believe, like a few of my readers, that the this story is far from ending.
For the next few months, I will attempt to document my firey re-entry into the American culture, complete with all the difficulties of reintegration, culture, and dearth of creative gastronomic outlets.
For those of you who think I have jumped the shark, you will be refunded your money at the end of this blog entry. Oh wait, that's right, you're reading this for your own edification. Let me edify you some more then: the story goes on bitches.
I'm trying to learn from the lessons of other bloggers in similar situations. Daniel Ginsberg from Boston documented his struggles with American culture upon returning from Serbia earlier this year. What about lacki from New Jersey who blogs about how she hates the lack of the chill-ness of American culture vs. the Porteugese.

Best recollecting moment from an American on their experience abroad:
"I'm sure this happens to you a lot - you're maneuvering your manure cart down a cobblestone road when all of a sudden you realize that you've gone thirty minutes without praying. Now what? Unfortunately, it's too late for you, and your soul will burn in the fires of hell for the rest of your eternally damned afterlife. But, you should still stop by one of the local Jesus Boxes just to show your face. The little villages in Portugal are filled with Jesus Boxes, which are, as the name implies, large stone boxes filled to the brim with Jesus. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting one of them, and chances are you'll be struck dead by holy lightning if one of the creepy Jesus mannequins catches you swinging dead cats on a day of worship."
See you all on the flipside.

Soundtrack of the Day:
Send Me on My Way. Rusted Root.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Don't be a hater :)
Free refills, streets sans dog crap, 24 hour restaurants, peanut butter... the US isn't so bad.

Welcome back. See ya soon.