Back in the U S of A

Trip Start May 09, 2005
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49
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Trip End Aug 01, 2005


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Flag of United States  , New Jersey,
Saturday, July 23, 2005

Well, as I expected, being back in the US has been bittersweet. The reverse culture shock has been tough at times but has generally been made better by my lovely friends Vanessa and Chris who are putting me up for a week before I return back to California. I went to the drug store to pick up some cereal and the aisle there is only like 1/8 the size of the supermarket and I stood there forever unable to make a decision from the vast selection made available. The most simple of decisions is made harder by the fact that they are ones you haven't had to really make for a few months. It's also been a real effort for me to not reply or comment in Arabic (although a few have slipped out) and to revert back to English 100%. But I'm getting there alright!

It's been a nice time here at Chris and Van's place. They're feeding me all of the lovely foods I haven't had in a bit. They even made me a "NJ missed you" chocolate cake! For those who know me well, know that I'm a chocoholic big time. Yesterday I made my way back to Hoboken to get a haircut. That was the last place I wanted to be and I felt as soon as I got there that I couldn't get back out fast enough. Anyways, I chopped my hair very very short (but I was liberal on the short length because my hair grows so damn fast). Last night we went out with some of Chris' friends to Montclair to a Mexican restauraunt--my all time favorite food. It was so much fun to be able to speak Spanish again!!

Of course we arrive back home to the horrific news of the bombings in Sharm. It's very scary watching the video footage. Just as I'm writing this I'm watching the news and the video of a sidewalk area of the Old Market shows a tea/seesha cafe where I was sitting and having a Cola just a few weeks ago. Perhaps I have a guardian angel watching over me, just as my little brother did when he got out of Iraq alive (granted after weeks of recovery in a hospital). My mom, rightly so, freaks at my latest destinations. But twice now I've escaped attacks in Egypt by one week (there were deaths in Cairo back in May just before I left). And luckily there were no problems while I was in Palestine.

I've checked in on friends and so far everyone is okay. I don't think any of you have been to Sharm, but the Old Market is huge and is always packed with people. Especially at the time that the bombs went off, as you know from my previous blogs that Egypt doesn't sleep and so midnight and on is always a very busy time for people to be milling about.

Anyways, my head is swimming right now. I've got so much going on in there...from memories of Egypt to readjusting to life here and totally freaking out about my impending job search. It's excitement mixed with absolute utter fear. But I'll make it through as I always do.
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