Stateside #2 Starts!



We are back in the states on our second stateside! Its insane to think we have already been in Madagascar long enough to be on our second stateside - this term flew by for us. This stateside will be the same length as our first, about four months.

As this isn't our first stateside assignment, we came back with expectations of what it would be like.  And in many ways we were right.  Jet lag was tough...again.  I teared up when I went to the grocery store...again.  And hugging mom and dad was wonderful...again.

These two had crazy jet lag - up at 1AM for a week straight!

During our first stateside, we were completely overwhelmed with culture shock.  Its hard to explain how unsettling it feels to return to a place that is suppose to feel like home, but doesn't.  And its hard to explain how confusing it can be as you seek to find a new identity in that situation. While our identity had been evolving during those first few years on the field, we didn't realize it until we got back to the states for the first time. This made our first stateside quite a difficult experience.

Having gone through this once made coming back this time easier. We definitely don't always fit in (in fact most of the time we don't!), but instead of finding it confusing or frustrating we usually laugh about it. Our family and friends have learned our new quirks and are usually patient with us. They make a great attempt at keeping us informed about technological advances, news, and trends. But we still have to take it all in stride when we can't figure out how to take a stranger's pic on their iPhone, or order our meal through a restaurant's computerized cashier, or when (for the millionth time!) we reach for the keys when we want to turn on my parents keyless car, or when our kids fuss when commercials come on because they aren't use to live TV.

I am sure it will always feel a little strange coming back to America after these long stents overseas, but I am happy to say that it gets easier!  We are really looking forward to the next few months and hope to make the most of every minute!

Titus at Magic Kingdom
Eli at Legoland

Jude at the Siesta Key Beach
Tampa Zoo

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