Monday, April 11, 2011

Stage Four

9:30 pm Russia time. The sun is setting and I'm heading west so I get to walk towards it. I'm wearing my black wool coat, khaki pants, black converse, my green messenger bag and my hair is straight but pulled back in a pony tail. I have my ipod in and I'm listening to "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park. I'm a sucker for cliches sometimes.
And in the past seven days I've never felt more homesick than any other time I've been here.
But for some reason today was the first time I've actually had the thought and desire to come back. Even though the language barrier is still there (as proved once again when someone tried to talk to me on the bus) and the work is still hard and I still miss everything in America so much. But I enjoy it here sometimes and I wouldn't mind coming back. So I think I can comfortably say that I'm finally reaching the "home" phase of culture shock. Seven weeks left to soak it in and I want to take advantage of every minute.

1 comment:

Anelie said...

If only you would have known what was in store for you once you got back to the apartment. Is there a song for that?
Nicole I wanted to tell you that tonight the thought occurred to me, it actually gently screamed at me, that I don't have to be stuck in the rut I'm in. I can change my minutes, hours, days. Is that deep or what? It was for me.