Coming To America

I have been home for a couple weeks now and it is... not as weird as I thought it would be. As much as I love and miss Egypt, there are lots of things about America I missed. Things happen on exchange and things happen when you get back.

People may get sick of you talking

It’s not just when I talk about my exchange, but also just in general. By dinner my first night home, my sister was already sick of hearing the words “In Egypt”. 

Also, while I was gone, apparently it was a lot quieter in the house. So me talking about everything and anything probably gets annoying.

Crosswalks are everywhere

I live in Smalltown, USA. There is barely any traffic except during county fair season. Why are there so many crosswalks?

Also, if you don’t use crosswalks, or cross when it’s red, it’s illegal. This leads to standing on the sidewalk on an empty street corner forever waiting for the walking signs.

Missing things more than you thought

Driving gives me so much joy. I love it. It’s scary and complicated (I drive a stick) but it’s amazing.

In school in Egypt, I never did a lot of work. Since this year I’m taking AP US History, I have a lot of summer homework. I’m not actually mad about it. I’m also kind of excited for school to start.

I have a lot of hair. Therefore, I use a lot of shampoo and conditioner. I can finally buy huge bottles of hair products now.

I missed a year of life

If I could go back and do my year abroad over again, I would. I gained so much from it, but I still missed out on an entire year of things. 

My sister has had my parents basically to herself for a year (not counting the Costa Rican exchange student). Sometimes it feels weird because there are stories, jokes, and memories that I wasn’t a part of. 

Egypt feels like a dream

Once you get into a routine, everything in your home country feels normal. Sometimes I think about Egypt and it feels like it didn’t even happen. It went by so quickly, it doesn’t feel real. So little has changed in everything around me, I might not have even left home at all.

Leaving my life in Egypt was the hardest thing I’ve had to do, but I’m glad I’m back. I missed my family and friends so much. I also miss my other friends and family so much.

I promised to post on Sundays and I didn’t last week. I’m sorry, but I’ll be back on track now and next week. 

Thanks for reading.

Learn something today.

Byeeee

Corie.

No Place Like Home

Hey guys, I'm home.

It took about 43 hours to get from my one in Cairo to my home in California

After staying up all night, driving up to the airport, and tearfully saying goodbye to my family and friends I got onto my plane from Cairo to Istanbul. Nothing much happened. The food was good the entertainment was good. 

Plane to Istanbul

I felt like I was going to Hogwarts

I landed in Istanbul and apparently I had charged $300 worth of data charges to my phone. My mom fixed it and it was only $30. I slept and ate in Istanbul until it was time to fly again. 

Gate monitors

Before going into the gate for my flight to New York, you have to go through a mini security. They checked my boarding pass and passport. Then they asked who packed my bags, if I packed anything for anyone else, if I've left my bags unattended, and stuff like that. 

Istanbul was Constantinople. Now it's Istanbul was Constantinople.

The best kinds of pictures.

On the plane from Istanbul to New York City, many things happened. I sat next to a man who was very polite and looked like a buff John Green. Marriage equality was legalized in the US. A couple on  the plane sitting near me got engaged. 

The food I ate on the plane on the way from New York to Istanbul was alright. It was the same as the food on the way back, but I guess on the way back I was used to Middle Eastern food. It was really good.

The first meal was chicken, potatoes, cucumber, beans.

The second meal was meat, rice, cherry yogurt. 

In New York, I was picked up by my grandparents. The plane landed at 9:40 pm. We got to a gate over half an hour later. It took another two hours to get through customs, to get my bags, to get through security part two, get to my grandparents and the hotel.

What happens when your grandparents are tall

This is how we do

Customs

I slept and went back to the airport. I ate Dunkin' Donuts and flew to California. By the time I landed, I was so hungry. My parents met me at the meeting point. Surprisingly, no one cried.

If America runs on Dunkin', why is there no Dunkin' Donuts in Cali?

Welcome to America

Momy

No matter how many times I asked, my mom wouldn't stop to get me food. Turns out, at home there was chips, fruit and veggie platters, cookies, and a cheese plate. My friends also happened to be there. They all surprised me. I was so excited to see them and the food.

The new house

Casey will never escaped my hug

Youth Council's Welcome Home sign

My babe Catharine

Since, I've been going to the doctor's and the orthodontists. Yesterday, we had family game night. All in all, life is pretty good. Turns out, I was scared of nothing.

Two story book store

It's called addiction

I will continue to blog. I have lots of homework and stuff for school and catching up to do, but I will still blog. Sundays are the days. I might blog other times in the week but there will always be a post on Sunday unless told otherwise. 

I hope you'll stick around, even though I'm not in Egypt anymore. 

Learn something today.

Byeeeee

Corie.