FAQ

Now is the time when I'm supposed to be reflecting on my time abroad, figuring out how I feel about it, what it meant to me, how I've changed, blah blah blah, and lots of other deep thoughts. The difficult part of answering these questions is that it's tough to explain my experience without sounding like I'm writing some generic assigned essay: 'I learned so much and experienced a new culture and now I want to live a better life and all that jazz,' blah-de-blah, even if it is true. So, for all our sake, I'll try to answer some of the questions I've been asked a couple dozen times already as genuinely and specifically as I can. 

Question: (This could be you, or anybody) So, how was England?

Answer: (And then this is me) Amazing. I wasn't ready to leave. I'm not really sure how to explain why I loved England so much, but I just did. And that's all I can really say, this question is too vague, sorry. Wow, so much for being specific and unique. 

Q: How is it being back?

A: To be honest, I did experience some culture shock upon entering the United States. 

For example, people in the States aren't afraid to dress very casual in public. In England, I'd probably never go into town wearing athletic clothes--the closest I ever came was wearing sweatpants to the cafeteria one day, and even then I felt awkward. So in comparison to England, we all look a bit trashy here, walking around in public in cut-offs and athletic shorts and old t-shirts with the sleeves chopped off. I also really noticed how wasteful we can be here. In England, I got used to seeing almost only little compact cars zooming around, combined with an excellent public transportation system. It was a bit of a shock to return to Wisconsin and see so many mini-vans (guilty) and SUVs and trucks--I think I saw one pick-up truck the whole time I was in England and 2 mini vans. And besides the cars being bigger, everything here in Eau Claire is just so much more spacious. The city is quite spread out, roads are wider, houses have backyards and lots of space between them, etc. These are just material differences though. There are other more subtle differences that I think will become more apparent over time, but those are just a couple examples that I noticed right away.

Being back is still taking a bit of getting used to. The first night was extremely surreal. I finally got home at about 3:30 am on Sunday morning and went straight up to my room and sat on my bed, waiting to feel like I was at home. But the feeling didn't come. It took at least a couple days before I felt like I was actually at home--an experience I didn't expect. I feel more at home now, but I think that Winchester will always be a second home--or at least for a good while it will.

Q: Do you have an accent?

A: Really? Remember I was only there for a few months--so the answer is no. To be fair every once in awhile a bit of an English or Welsh inflection awkwardly slips out, but it's been only a week and a half and that's almost gone already. 

Okay, that's all I'm writing for tonight, but I've definitely got some more thoughts (and they're more interesting too) so I'll try to post again soon. I'm leaving for a family vacation tomorrow and don't know where and when I'll get internet access, but I'm brining my laptop so I can continue to at least journal some thoughts and then post them later. Until then, take care. =)