I am back in the US for the summer. Have been for about a week at this point, and so thought it would be time to recap the end of the semester/beginning of summer.
Due to schedule conflicts, I am still not done all of my courses - I am completing one by writing a 25-30 page paper that is due over the summer. However, I can be very stubborn, and I had finished all of my other papers four days before my flight out of Abu Dhabi. Because of that, I wrote a draft of the paper before coming home for the summer, so I just have edits to do on that.
I also managed to pack my life into 2 boxes, 2 suitcases, and a backpack. Books are going to be a problem in the future.
Said the 'see you later's inherent to a school of nomads, and hung out in the evenings when I couldn't bear to write anything more on the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. In that time, I played board games, which got fairly competitive. Important to note: I won one of the games of Settlers of Catan. This is so important because it was the first time that someone other than Jordan won.
Fourteen hour flight home, uneventful. I watched movies, and napped. Had a six-hour layover at JFK, but since I was flying JetBlue, they had a nice waiting area. My connecting flight got delayed a bit, but I made it home. The connection won't be as bad in the future because they are re-routing Sachi and I through Chicago instead of JFK from now on.
Then, home.
Stars, darkness, silence, trees, grass, dogs, a new donkey, my own bed, hugs from family, relaxing on porches, waking up without an alarm, do-nothing days, driving with music blaring, wind, stormclouds.
I went to see the spring production, and worked at the Ultimate Frisbee tournament, taking photos of the games. I miss playing. I hope I can find/make some pick-up games over the summer.
I also visited my high school and caught up with my old teachers...
"You survived!"
"I thought you would be more tan."
"You loved it right? I told you you would love the Middle East!"
"Welcome home."
...As well as hanging out with some of my friends during their free block. I even went about this the legitimate way, by getting a visitors pass. Helped the GSU plan this year's Day of Silence (I know, it wasn't on the actual day. But it is a miracle that it happens at all, even with the compromises we've had to make).
Caught up with one of my best friends, Beth, which was awesome and crazy, as always. Today she and Kendall came and we talked for a while.
It is good to be home for a while. Good to be in the US, where things feel a bit more stable/make more sense. Good to slow down and reboot after a hectic year.
It was weird - when I was packing and even at the airport in VT, it felt like Christmas. The weather in Abu Dhabi was the same just hotter, and it felt like I was only going home for a breath before it was back into the chaotic busy-ness that is NYUAD. Then, I registered the spring/summer colors and feel to the air, and it felt like summer break, that I wasn't here for a breath, but will have time to catch my breath.
NYC in 1 week, 3 days!
<3
P.S. I can now add lawnmowers to the list of things it would seem as though I have broken, a list which mainly consisted of microwaves before this point. Still, aside from the one in Abu Dhabi, I hold that the rest were coincidences.
Due to schedule conflicts, I am still not done all of my courses - I am completing one by writing a 25-30 page paper that is due over the summer. However, I can be very stubborn, and I had finished all of my other papers four days before my flight out of Abu Dhabi. Because of that, I wrote a draft of the paper before coming home for the summer, so I just have edits to do on that.
I also managed to pack my life into 2 boxes, 2 suitcases, and a backpack. Books are going to be a problem in the future.
Said the 'see you later's inherent to a school of nomads, and hung out in the evenings when I couldn't bear to write anything more on the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses. In that time, I played board games, which got fairly competitive. Important to note: I won one of the games of Settlers of Catan. This is so important because it was the first time that someone other than Jordan won.
Fourteen hour flight home, uneventful. I watched movies, and napped. Had a six-hour layover at JFK, but since I was flying JetBlue, they had a nice waiting area. My connecting flight got delayed a bit, but I made it home. The connection won't be as bad in the future because they are re-routing Sachi and I through Chicago instead of JFK from now on.
Then, home.
Stars, darkness, silence, trees, grass, dogs, a new donkey, my own bed, hugs from family, relaxing on porches, waking up without an alarm, do-nothing days, driving with music blaring, wind, stormclouds.
I went to see the spring production, and worked at the Ultimate Frisbee tournament, taking photos of the games. I miss playing. I hope I can find/make some pick-up games over the summer.
I also visited my high school and caught up with my old teachers...
"You survived!"
"I thought you would be more tan."
"You loved it right? I told you you would love the Middle East!"
(I'm studying theater) "Are you ready to be a waitress?" (Not as an actor) "Oh, then you'll be fine!"
(I'm studying theater) "I wondered about that. You were always more creative - it makes sense" (As compared to political science)
"Welcome home."
...As well as hanging out with some of my friends during their free block. I even went about this the legitimate way, by getting a visitors pass. Helped the GSU plan this year's Day of Silence (I know, it wasn't on the actual day. But it is a miracle that it happens at all, even with the compromises we've had to make).
Caught up with one of my best friends, Beth, which was awesome and crazy, as always. Today she and Kendall came and we talked for a while.
It is good to be home for a while. Good to be in the US, where things feel a bit more stable/make more sense. Good to slow down and reboot after a hectic year.
It was weird - when I was packing and even at the airport in VT, it felt like Christmas. The weather in Abu Dhabi was the same just hotter, and it felt like I was only going home for a breath before it was back into the chaotic busy-ness that is NYUAD. Then, I registered the spring/summer colors and feel to the air, and it felt like summer break, that I wasn't here for a breath, but will have time to catch my breath.
NYC in 1 week, 3 days!
<3
P.S. I can now add lawnmowers to the list of things it would seem as though I have broken, a list which mainly consisted of microwaves before this point. Still, aside from the one in Abu Dhabi, I hold that the rest were coincidences.
No comments:
Post a Comment