Adjusting

I had been preparing to move back to the States mentally long before I actually stepped on the plane in September. Through my own past experiences and learning from others, I thought I generally knew what to expect and while I've found that to be true for the most part there has been the occasional unexpected adjustment.

For instance . . .

1) Do you know how lucky we are in the States to have laundry dryers?? I can get all my clothing cleaned in less than 2 hours and I don't have to wait for a sunny day! How crazy is that? I'm not even going to mention dishwashers.

Photo found here

2) Security has been a huge adjustment. I had no idea how used to the danger in South Africa I'd become. Burglar bars, gates, and security guards had become my norm and it constantly makes me nervous. I don't want to stop at traffic lights at night for fear of hijacking or leave my windows open. I double or sometimes triple check that my car has been locked properly. It's odd to come back to the US and see how relatively casual people are here about security.

3) Everyone is so busy! I love living at home and with my family, but for the most part I feel like I just have brief moments with them as they run out the door for work and/or school. I know that that is the way life is here and to a certain degree I need to adjust, but I miss the quiet evenings in South Africa. I miss people dropping by at all times of the day to sit and chat. I miss having the freedom to walk into friends' houses unannounced and being offered coffee or dinner. I miss the fellowship and the sense of having a common purpose. I miss the slower pace of life.

As it is, I just feel constantly lazy these days and I have to almost continually remind myself that I've lived in a much slower culture the past few years and that it's going to take time.

I know there's more and I'm still processing, but I'll keep you updated.