I arrived back in Germany yesterday, exhausted and confused, but happy to be back here. It seems every time I leave my family, it gets harder to do so (sniff!). The distance seems greater, and I miss that everyday involvement with them.
My jet lag this time seems worse than usual. I didn’t feel well yesterday and crashed into an accidental nap (I usually try to stay awake until bedtime on the first day). After dinner, I finally had the energy to rummage through my suitcases to show The Mann what I brought back (Brown sugar! Spices! Chocolate chips! BBQ sauce! Wine that we love from Australia! More books! New shoes!).
During his Manncation, The Mann cleaned the apartment up and it looks great. It feels so fresh being back. The apartment seems unfamiliar again. I love this about returning from a trip: it reboots your life and makes things seem new again. I walked through the door yesterday and was reminded of the scent of the apartment. Oh yeah, I know this place. I’m slowly rediscovering the way I live my life within these walls.
Germany feels so fresh again. It’s so beautiful here. It’s so very different from where I was in the U.S. The light is different. The air is different. The sounds are different. The roads and cars are different. The landscape is gorgeous here. I’m happy I’m back.
I'm a Europhile living with my German boyfriend ("The Mann") and splitting my time between Cologne and the Frankfurt area, Germany.
Welcome back! So sorry that you had to come back when the weather is awful. I’m told (although I’m not sure if I believe) that it’s going to be an Indian summer here and get warmer in September. Not so sure… I actually thought about putting on gloves – gloves! – today as I rode to work.