...said the customs officer who checked me in at the Chicago O’Hare Airport. I am officially on American soil, well, sort of. I am sitting on a chair that is on some blue carpet that is on the floor of the airport and this airport building is undoubtedly placed on a concrete foundation that is firmly situated upon American soil. So, yes, I think I am on American soil.
I am happy to be home but leaving Denmark was maybe the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I know that I will return to Denmark to visit my family, explore the city more and enjoy endless pastries, but the whole “living and studying” there is over. And that is terribly sad. I don’t tend to get very stressed when I travel but I suppose today I was especially vulnerable and I cried the whole way through security and then I even cried while watching the end of Finding Nemo. Yeah, that’s how bad it was. But I am here now and with just one more short flight I will be in the arms of my family. And for that I am incredibly excited.
I'll give you just a few reflections before I have to pack up my computer once again, stuff it in its case, reload my multiple bags on my little body and make my way onto the plane.
My first thoughts upon reentering the states? There are just so many Americans here. And there is so much English. It is weird not to say “Sorry, I speak English” before talking to someone. It is nice, I guess, but my ears already miss the Danish sounds.
Now, this next reflection might sound offensive but I promise that I love all of you Americans who are reading this so it is not directed toward you. In the past 10 hours I have been struck over and over by just how nice Americans are…and also how incredibly annoying they are! Perhaps I am especially biased but it always seemed like the Americans who were complaining about little things or talking about themselves (loudly) or acting like they were the most important person in the room. And of course, when one American acts like he/she is so great, then the other Americans grumble and snootily say, “Gosh what makes you so special? Why do you get to get out of the plane first?”
Good god, Americans, just slappe af! (a common Danish phrase meaning ‘relax!’)
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I wrote the above post from the airport but I didn't have internet there so I couldn't post it. Now I am at home, in my comfy bed. I have been with my family for the past 10 hours and for those 10 hours I have not had to deal with any annoying Americans, just the absolutely wonderful Americans who I was so happy to see I couldn't even shed a tear, who chatted with me and listened to me chat the entire way back to Newton, and who stayed up super late with me to open souvenirs and laugh at the massive amount of candy that I brought home. Let's just say, it was been one hell of a good homecoming.
I was wide awake all through the last part of my trip and up until midnight last night (which would have been nighttime up until 7:00 am back in Copenhagen) so I thought "Well, geeze I am pretty great at this not getting jetlag thing." Well it is now 5:30 am and I am awake enough to have turned my computer on and started writing this instead of just going back to sleep. That is certainly not normal! Unfortunately, I guess that means I am not as perfectly exempt from the crazy amount of messed-up that everyone warned me I would feel. Nonetheless I will try to go back to sleep now and wake up again in two hours or so. If that doesn't work I guess I might be back on here to ramble some more : )
Vi ses!
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