Life after happily ever after

I've decided to start writing again. What exactly, I am not entirely sure of. But, after 6 months back in the US, I realize the hardest part is this. I knew it. I've told enough students in the past that the biggest culture shock they will experience will be the return. It's the unexpected difficulties that you can't anticipate that make it so hard. I braced for the normal things: settling into a new apartment, reexamining a (not-so-new) city, finding a job, having a (not-at-all long-distance) relationship with my friends and family.

These are big enough transitions. But the unanticipated hardship has been settling into these changes with a completely unsettled me.

All of these transitions I took in stride. I found a job. Check. I am in the same town as most of my friends and my boyfriend. Check. I can talk to my family on a regular basis. Check. I understand the culture I am in and it understands me. Check.

And now, what?

Well, quickly into my "technically great" job I realized that it wasn't great at all and I quit. Bummer. After a roller-coaster of anxiety, doubt and unhappiness, I find myself back at the beginning, and pretty darn happy about it. I feel like I stole a little trip in the time machine and get to explore and have fun as I figure out my next steps.

I also soon realized that perhaps my long-distance relationship with my man was better than my in-the-same-town, real-life one. All those moments of waiting for my return and now we are both adjusting to all these moments of real life. Not to mention that many of my friends are taking big steps in their careers, are getting married and having the babies. It's hard to be gearing up for a fresh start, when everyone around you is in "got my shit together" mode.

So, it's been a gallimaufry (look 'er up) of transitional moments and really the only thing that has become clear to me is that life is really like travel - sometimes you get upgraded to first class and sometimes you have to sleep next to a buffalo for two weeks. Either way, you can try to plan for it, but usually your plans change.

And so, I am turning to the only thing that kept me sane during my last transition: writing.

I hope you'll follow as I write about my brand new life as a traveler, paused.