Yesterday was the 4th of July, and also just past the two year mark of our moving to Germany. Have I learned anything (about myself, about Germany, about travel, about…anything)? Of course. I don’t think I’ve ever sat down and written it all out, though. So that’s what I’ll do today while Teddy is in school and Fiona hangs out with her Daddy (yay long weekend!).
First things first, my love song to America. I’ve always loved America, with all of her successes and failures. I’ve never doubted my love for her. I sure as shit took her for granted, though. Silly little things like culinary options, food delivery, shopping on Sundays, not having to drive 40 minutes to get to the one Indian restaurant in the “area”. I miss actual, honest to God high speed internet and 4G phone service I miss seeing people of different ethnic backgrounds, and I miss not being looked at funny for obviously being mixed race (or darker in general). I miss being smiled at on the rare occasion that I might make eye contact with a stranger on the street. I miss going out to eat (even at a Panera-style place) and not being stared at, as in neck-craning unapologetic staring. I miss the heat of a ridiculous American summer, made better by ridiculous American air conditioning systems pumping cold air at my face when I need it most. I love all the different flavors of America, particularly that Jersey/NY one that can’t be replicated no matter how hard the rest of the country might try (I’m looking at you, midwestern “pizza”). The drastic changes in scenery as we drove from Albuquerque back to NJ. I miss the tunnels through the mountains in Pennsylvania and the twisting of the highway through the mountains in West Virginia. I miss summers at Lake Carnegie, sitting lazy in the heat with ice cream from Thomas Sweet or a cheesesteak from Hoagie Haven, dripping grease and ketchup while the geese chase you around. The boardwalk down the shore, the smell of funnel cake and zeppole and french fries, the sound of carnival games bleating out over the roar of the waves. The same reliable three tunes played by the ice cream man and italian ice man interchangeable from their trucks while they drive down every street I’ve ever hung out on or lived on. I watch stupid movies like the Patriot and Independence Day and dammit, I’m moved by them. America is MINE. I am proud of her. I’ll always be proud of her.
I was going to follow this ridiculously sappy paragraph up with the things I like about Germany, but to be frank it is currently 55 degrees, I can’t open my windows, and I’m so cold that I legit can’t warm myself up no matter how many layers I pile on. IT IS THE FIFTH OF JULY. I feel no love right now. I can handle the unique quirks of this gorgeous land when my soul isn’t being crushed by the weight of zero warmth. As for right now? Please, send me home.
Arctophobic 