Back at home

So, yes, I finally did make it back to Ohio, but not after a 3 day stop in St. Louis for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference. (I won an award to attend, plus our OU branch was recieving a certificate from the NCTM, so it was nice to recieve that). Cathy Seeley, NCTM President and one of my professinal idols, was there to present the certificates, and since she remembered our little organization at OU, she gave me a hug. (She has a really cool website from when she taught math in Africa: www.csinburkinafaso.com, check it out.)

I met up with two of the other girls who won the same award as I did, and I feel bad for these girls for having to put up with me during my first few days back in the States. ("oooh real ketchup!" "wow, the waiter will actually split the bill for us?" "look at how expensive the wine list is!" "normal traffic lights!")

It was the little things that shocked and pleased me the most. However, America and Americans just have a "feeling" about them. As soon as I landed in the Washington-Dulles airport, I knew I was in America. How could I tell? It's nothing that I can explain, but everything just seemed AMERICAN. I looked around me, and I could tell that the people were American (and I could pick out the foreigners). Also, while waiting in the immigration line, an older couple ahead of me saw my OU t-shirt and started chatting because they live in Dayton and their daughter went to OU. Such a nice surprise after months of having to describe Ohio as being "near the great lakes."

Even now, a week later, I find myself walking down the street or driving down the road, and I just smile because it's so good to be home. The air feels like home, the sounds at night sound like home.

The only thing is... and I'm sure those of you who have lived abroad will understand, and I'm not sure if anyone else will... it's hard to adjust. I miss South Africa and its people, and the life that I built there.