After being away from my country for more than a decade, I was very fearful of all the things I didn't know. Will the heat make me sick? Can I casually walk among people as I used to? Will I know how to go about town without looking like a complete moron?
I had chosen to stay in the city so I could walk around a bit the few days before the wedding. This going to sound silly, but the first order of business was learning how to cross the city streets like a local again! I just laugh at myself now when I remember this bit. I had to stand from afar and watch the people, and eventually I remembered (it's pretty much like a frogger game). Before I had left my mom and sister gave me their old money (I had some, too) and to the amusement of my friends, some bills are now coins (I tried to use it buying bottled water and the cashier gave me a puzzled look....."sorry, just kidding"). The heat was not as bad as I had feared, but I have to admit I still felt like I was "defrosting" the first two days.
It was great to connect with some old friends and just talking about the past makes one really appreciate how life, irregardless of however it's been. Sometimes I wonder if I'm still recognizable, but then you realize that there is always something that people record in the memory to identify (and identify with) you.
I had come to be the best man at the wedding of a good friend of mine and the reception toast was probably what made me nervous about the whole thing. I had tried to keep myself from rehersing and just keeping tabs at just the message I had wanted to say. I'm glad I found the words I had wanted to say when the time came, though I stammered a bit through it, sad to say.
The following day we went for the beach, a couple of hours from city proper. Having travelled to other places, I now have this very warm appreciation of my home country. Watching the sunset with this cool breeze hitting your face.....it's simply beautiful.
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