It has been two full weeks since I have been back in America and they have gone by extremely fast. Coming back to Florida from London was bittersweet. I definitely missed my family and friends, but I also miss the people I met abroad and the way of living that I had become accustomed to. The first week back in America was extremely weird to be honest with you. It felt so weird being back on American soil. While I was abroad my mother actually moved into a different house, so coming back to a new house at a new location was definitely a weird feeling. The hardest thing to get adjusted to was having to drive. While in London I never drove and probably only into a car a handful of times. I truly forgot how big American roads are and that we drive on a different side of the road then the Brits do. Another thing that I am slowly getting back used to is the food. In London I mainly cooked and did not eat a lot. The food over there is much healthier due to the lack of GMOs and preservatives. While abroad I picked up healthy eating habits and actually lost a few pounds. Now that I am back there are certain foods I just cannot eat. For example, the first meal I ate after arriving in America was Red Lobster. It was so delicious. However, eating fast food like McDonalds, Subway etc. has not been a pleasant experience. I find my body preferring to consume the fresh non preservative meat of the U.K. It is safe to say my eating habits will remain the same as I am cutting out a lot of meats and other unhealthy foods. Along with driving and food, being around Americans has taken some getting used to. It felt so surreal seeing all my friends and family. Everyone told me I looked different (in a good way of course). I went from seeing every race and ethnicity in London to seeing about 3 in the U.S. I truly realize how different the identities of the two countries are in this aspect. I went from feeling like a foreigner in the U.K. to now feeling like a foreigner in the U.S. My perspective on life, culture, race, people is greatly transformed, and it makes me feel weird being around people who have not had the same experience. Overall being in the United States is definitely a blessing. I just wish more people could experience what I have in this past season of life.
