Back in the States

It is an interesting feeling to be back here. After only 2 months, it is surprising how different it feels to be here. This is home, but I am in a completely different mindset still. I caught myself saying "Grazie" at the airport in Detroit, and I still expect to see Italian on the signs. I actually drove a car this morning, and it makes me so sad to know that I can't just jump on a train and head to a Mediterranean island for the weekend anymore.

It's cold here. I don't think I've taken off a hooded sweatshirt since the plane left Italy. Is it really necessary to have every building air conditioned to near freezing temperatures here, especially when the high is only like 75? And to think, I hated the idea of living without air conditioning before my program...

Yesterday, I took an 8am flight out of Florence, which meant dragging my luggage (with one wheel broken from the train station luggage storage place) to a bus stop at 5:15am to get to the airport by 6am to check in on time. I had a couple hour layover in London, and I was completely overwhelmed by the airport. I hadn't realized how accustomed I'd been to the easy-going pace of Italy until faced with the whirlwind of a busy airport. I remember being frustrated at first by how slow things were in Italy, and how nothing was ever on time...but I got used to it, and now, I'm not sure I really want to go back to a hectic scheduled lifestyle.

It was nice to have my bed back. I'd missed that. And I really can't wait to be able to cook and bake again. My sister and Rex are visiting tonight, and I get to see my Ann Arbor friends this weekend :)