I've only lived away from the Bay Area once - a year in Seattle. Coming back, I was shocked to see how dry the San Francisco area is - brown hills - golden if you want to be poetic. When I travel, the best part is returning to see the iconic views of home. I have the experience of seeing new and wonderful places but I get to come back to an area that is equally interesting.
Thanks for sharing your observations Virginia! It is very true you live in a special part of the world that always feels good to come home to. And Seattle is certainly it's water opposite!
Returning “home” to Germany always feels a bit strange. I’ve lived in the US for 27 years now, longer then I did in Germany - I have days were I feel I don’t fit in quite right in either place. It’s interesting. But I also fall right back into life there like no time has passed. Also interesting.
Thanks for your view about home Susi! I have some of those same feelings about slipping right back in, and also not sure where exactly I belong anymore. It is good to hear you feel comfortable in both places, though, as that is really the best place to be, I think.
“but of course time has moved on, people have moved on, and now there is something different. You can’t quite put your finger on it, exactly. It is just a slight dissonance...
everyone is different now, even if the setting is the same”
Goodness, did this bring back memories. For me it was moving to Madrid in 1984. Bechtel (Dave’s company) had a course we took before leaving called Going International. Besides the culture shock we were to experience, they warned us that returning home would also be a challenge, as everyone’s lives had moved on, and as nice as our overseas experience may have been for us, for them, we were gone and then we were back. Their lives had moved on and they would expect us to intuitively understand all that had changed.
I also remember after moving to Northern California, going home to visit my mom and wishing for things to feel the same. But I was now grown with children and my Dad had passed and nothing was the same.
These memories are such a powerful reminder to notice and appreciate where we are in the moment. This time will never come again.
Oh my Patti, you captured that really well. I'm glad that Bechtel had warned you about the challenges of returning home, as it is a new place with familiar trappings. Both parties have moved on and re-integrating yourself is almost like moving on to a third place! Especially pre-internet and social media, keeping up with cultural nuances and absolute changes in a place where you are not living was quite difficult. (We notice that with pub quizzes: any questions that feature UK pop culture references from the decade Pete was in the US, we completely fail!)
‘Noticing the details’ is so important, isn’t it? I often feel I need to spend a week or a fortnight being a tourist in the place where I live in order to develop a deeper appreciation for what home is. Such a great read - thanks, Sabrina!
We had a great time on your island at the weekend - we’d only booked a single night at the campsite but ended up staying a second on the spur of the moment!
Thanks Rebecca! I heartily agree that it is really fun to be a tourist in your own home. I am always happy to have visitors too, as it is an excuse to do the touristy things as well as research specific places to suit each person. I'm so sorry we missed you this visit. After next week we won't be away for awhile so I am keeping my fingers crossed for a meet-up soon!
I'll be back before long! Jim has a client over there, plus I'm really keen to walk the island's coastal path...! 😊 Reckon I MIGHT even do okay with my hope to not get lost, if I make sure to keep the sea on my same side all the way around! 😉
I DO like your plan of keeping the sea on the same side all the way around. Having just come home from our regular hour-long walk along the seafront, it is always magical and today, rather bracing! Keep me posted!
I've only lived away from the Bay Area once - a year in Seattle. Coming back, I was shocked to see how dry the San Francisco area is - brown hills - golden if you want to be poetic. When I travel, the best part is returning to see the iconic views of home. I have the experience of seeing new and wonderful places but I get to come back to an area that is equally interesting.
Thanks for sharing your observations Virginia! It is very true you live in a special part of the world that always feels good to come home to. And Seattle is certainly it's water opposite!
Returning “home” to Germany always feels a bit strange. I’ve lived in the US for 27 years now, longer then I did in Germany - I have days were I feel I don’t fit in quite right in either place. It’s interesting. But I also fall right back into life there like no time has passed. Also interesting.
Thanks for your view about home Susi! I have some of those same feelings about slipping right back in, and also not sure where exactly I belong anymore. It is good to hear you feel comfortable in both places, though, as that is really the best place to be, I think.
“but of course time has moved on, people have moved on, and now there is something different. You can’t quite put your finger on it, exactly. It is just a slight dissonance...
everyone is different now, even if the setting is the same”
Goodness, did this bring back memories. For me it was moving to Madrid in 1984. Bechtel (Dave’s company) had a course we took before leaving called Going International. Besides the culture shock we were to experience, they warned us that returning home would also be a challenge, as everyone’s lives had moved on, and as nice as our overseas experience may have been for us, for them, we were gone and then we were back. Their lives had moved on and they would expect us to intuitively understand all that had changed.
I also remember after moving to Northern California, going home to visit my mom and wishing for things to feel the same. But I was now grown with children and my Dad had passed and nothing was the same.
These memories are such a powerful reminder to notice and appreciate where we are in the moment. This time will never come again.
Oh my Patti, you captured that really well. I'm glad that Bechtel had warned you about the challenges of returning home, as it is a new place with familiar trappings. Both parties have moved on and re-integrating yourself is almost like moving on to a third place! Especially pre-internet and social media, keeping up with cultural nuances and absolute changes in a place where you are not living was quite difficult. (We notice that with pub quizzes: any questions that feature UK pop culture references from the decade Pete was in the US, we completely fail!)
‘Noticing the details’ is so important, isn’t it? I often feel I need to spend a week or a fortnight being a tourist in the place where I live in order to develop a deeper appreciation for what home is. Such a great read - thanks, Sabrina!
We had a great time on your island at the weekend - we’d only booked a single night at the campsite but ended up staying a second on the spur of the moment!
Thanks Rebecca! I heartily agree that it is really fun to be a tourist in your own home. I am always happy to have visitors too, as it is an excuse to do the touristy things as well as research specific places to suit each person. I'm so sorry we missed you this visit. After next week we won't be away for awhile so I am keeping my fingers crossed for a meet-up soon!
I'll be back before long! Jim has a client over there, plus I'm really keen to walk the island's coastal path...! 😊 Reckon I MIGHT even do okay with my hope to not get lost, if I make sure to keep the sea on my same side all the way around! 😉
I DO like your plan of keeping the sea on the same side all the way around. Having just come home from our regular hour-long walk along the seafront, it is always magical and today, rather bracing! Keep me posted!
You'll recognise what's in the sound clip that's coming in my post tomorrow morning, then! 🌊
ohhh, awesome foreshadow! Can't wait!