After 19 months in Sydney, it was time for a visit home. And I was so excited!!! T and I took two weeks off work, bought some plane tickets, stocked up on TimTams, and headed off. And when I say stocked up, I mean a suitcase full!
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| Ready for a trip to the States, land of no TimTams |
Our travel was good, if long. It was an interesting trip because in many ways, it felt like we hadn't really been gone. Lots of things seemed the same, even if they had most certainly changed over the year and a half. Kids were bigger and were the most noticeably different. Other things, like hanging out with friends, felt exactly the same, like we'd just been gone for a week or two.
If I had to identify some themes for our visit, I would definely say Mexican food would be on the list. The Mexican food in Sydney is a constant compliant of mine, so we were determined to eat our weight in it while we were home! And we probably came close, between Taco Bell and Moe's trips. Thanks to our friends and families for being patient with us when these were our restaurants of choice. =)
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| The cheap Mexican food never got old! |
Another interesting thing about our visit was that we experienced a little bit of culture shock. I hadn't realized how rarely (if ever) I see cowboy boots and camo in Sydney. But I definitely noticed their presence back in the South!
We also really noticed things about the "southern culture" a bit more than I once would have. Things like the huge and central role the Christian religion plays in everyday life, the fierce possession of guns, and on a lighter side, the way small-town life can be a little funny and very easy-going. I don't know if it's our home that's changed, or us, or maybe both, but we both noticed these differences with a fresh set of eyes.
We also stopped by the Dixie Republic, a "Southern merchandise" store in South Carolina. It's very much a novelty store, and not something that you would see every day, but it really only reinforced some of the things about our home culture that were feeling a little foreign to us.
(I didn't take pictures of the truly offensive things.)
But living in a small Southern town has its upsides. Like this great deal on hot dogs and brats at the Laptops & More store in Wartburg!
The other big theme, and definitely a happy, unintended one, was just being back in the mountains and foothills again. We rented a car for most of the time that we were there, and driving through the interstates and highways with the windows down really reminded us how lucky we are to be from such a beautiful place. It's completely different from the beauty that we see in Sydney, but it's just as lovely in its own way. Plus, it feels like "home," which is a feeling that I couldn't get enough of.
And yes, we remembered to stay on the right side of the road! =D
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