Day 19

Discussing the rough transition back to the US.

I guess it’s never too early to consider the transition at the end of these two years. While hanging out with a bunch of PCVs that was our dinner topic: how awkward we will be when we return.

The first five questions out of our mouths when we meet someone will be completely socially unacceptable:
Are you married?
When will you get married?
Do you have children?
How old are you?
How much do you make?

We will wonder why everyone doesn’t want to strike up a conversation with us as if we were addictively interesting.

We will be confused when we aren’t allowed into any place, at any time that we’d like as if we were an honored guest. Isn’t the whiteness of our skin an instant VIP pass anymore?

We shouldn’t say hi to every single person on the street?

Sitting anywhere in public will be distracting because instead of focusing on our own conversation with a person we will be busy actually being able to understand all the conversations around us. Eavesdropping is a full time job when everyone speaks English!

I’ve begun a habit that is even mocked among PCVs. I save my napkins from restaurants to use as toilet paper, in case I happen to find myself in need at a later time. So many things can be recycled, especially when you don’t understand where the garbage goes!

We will most likely invade the personal space of everyone we speak to.

…I can’t wait!