Here I am trying to become an American again! I flew in Thursday. On the plane descending into DC I had various tunes running through my head - "I'm Afraid of Americans" (Mr. Bowie had it right: afraid of the world/afraid I can't help it/afraid I can), "Big Yellow Taxi" = pave paradise, put up a parking lot. Walking through the door I was hit rather unexpectedly although I suppose unsurprisingly with the smell of fast-food hamburgers. And I had the greatest pesto panini in the Brussels airport after my nap there.
I have now finished the first day of class back in Maine (yep, that fast. Yikes). I was getting irritated by the overwhelming presence of privileged white boys who expect the world at their fingertips: the internet is magically speedy, everyone has a smartphone... It is very easy to be here. We don't have to go anywhere, the community is given, the food is delicious and provided with the swipe of a card. The hour and a half of class seemed ridiculously short after the normal 4 hours at the Catho in Yaoundé. However, I am missing the vivacity of the city (even all the klaxonnes (honking)) and my family and friends (who I am communicating with via Facebook). And the weather. Maine is cold as hell.
I also missed quite a bit in the US going away. There are a bunch of movies that I haven't even heard of let alone seen, new music and other pop culture bits. Many of my friends are watching the West Wing as it is now on Netflix instant (!). And I have lots of Doctor Who to catch up on, and also Season 3 of Downton Abbey.
In sum, white people are weird and awkward, English is funny, cheese is fantastic, and hot showers remain one of the greatest inventions of mankind. I hope you enjoyed being in my head for four months! If you would like more details of my voyage do not hesitate to email me. I will probably not post again unless I have other important epiphanies about being back and changed (which is rather possible). Thank you for following!
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