Every Peace Corps Volunteer, no matter where or where they served, has to re-adjust to the world post-service. Some do so by continuing to travel. Others, like me, go back to school. And others lie on their couch watching TV and eating takeout Chinese food until a girl convinces them to get on with their lives (you know who you are). With that in mind, here are some things which I've noticed, dealt with, struggled with, or loved since getting back. There is no real order, other than which order they popped in my head I was writing.
Hot showers. God, I love them. And, I actually end up feeling clean. However, after semi-bucket bathing for two years while living in a desert, it's also hard to deal with all that waste. Still, hot water does feel sooooooooooo nice.
Coffee shops. They're everywhere. Some meant for sitting around working. Some meant for a quick cup. Some with drive-thrus. Some Starbucks. All with options for big cups of non-instant coffee.
People are a lot more competitive. I'm about to fly to New England to check out a couple law schools as I make my decision. People keep asking me about rankings. People at the schools keep emphasizing rankings of different programs or aspects of the school. In Namibia, things were a lot less competitive. There are benefits to being competitive, obviously. It drives innovation and creativity, and can bring out the best in people. It can also bring out the worst. Regardless, America is very grades-driven, rankings-driven, and I'm going to have to get used to that again.
White people. No, this isn't racist. However, I no longer stand out the way I did. I no longer have that quasi-celebrity status. I'm just a bearded white guy with weird hair, not THE bearded white guy with weird hair. There's also less sense of community. Largely because the DC-area has so many people. Still, it's weird going down the street and not having everyone recognize me. On the other hand, I enjoy the anonymity and being able to walk down the street without constantly being stopped. And, I do occasionally get stopped by people who recognize me.
Weather. For two years, I lived in the desert. It got hot. Very hot. But it was dry. And there were like no plants. I came back to DC during the transition from Spring into Summer. That means humidity and pollen. And, holy crap, it's been brutal. Breathing has been a struggle. I'm slowly adjusting, but still, my lungs feel very uncomfortable.
Sports. It's not just soccer with an occasional rugby match worked in to change the pace. We have hockey, we have basketball, we have baseball, we have pre-season football talk. Oh, and there is some soccer. However, it in on at a far less convenient time than it was back in Namibia.
One thing everyone warned me about: grocery stores. It's tough. So many choices. So many aisles. So much food. So much other stuff. It can be overwhelming. I've avoided that one so far. However, I needed to replace my razor. So, my dad took me to Rodman's, a drug store. We go to the razor counter, where I had like 15 razors to choose from. And, right next to it, toothbrushes. And deodorant. Oh, and I need toothpaste for the toothbrush. And, some mouth wash. Ooooooh, and melatonin pills to help me get my sleep cycle back. And...And...And... Yeah, it was a bit brutal. Definitely got more than I needed.
Getting around is weird. Buses, a Metro system that is reliable (at least, compared to what I dealt with in Namibia), taxis that actually pick you up and take you directly where you are going. And cars, everywhere. So many cars. Every house has one. Some have more than one. Everyone drives everywhere. So many cars we have to build special buildings to park them. And all the roads are paved. It's crazy.
The internet is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo fast. Like, those of you complaining, you seriously have no clue how much worse it could be. Oh, and phone service which can handle everyone's calls. However, it also costs more. I don't get 100 texts per day. I have to pay for data up front. Same with minutes. And none of this not getting paid for incoming stuff.
TV is weird. All of these PSAs. For anything you can think of. And some I'd never thought of. Or pills for things that I didn't even know were health issues. And commercials which don't actually tell you what they're selling, just company names, in the hope you'll look them up. That wouldn't work in Namibia, where not everyone has internet access.
People care about such stupid crap. The cost of that internet thing. No, I don't which celebs are sleeping together. No, I couldn't care less about so-and-so-was-in-that-movie gaining so much weight. Or who just went to rehab. So, please stop talking to me about celeb gossip. Yes, I do judge anyone who cares about that garbage, and no, there is nothing favorable about that.
Reliable utilities. Those are nice. The toilet actually flushes, the power doesn't randomly get cut. I don't have to worry about rushing to get dinner cooked before the electricity goes out when it rains.
Reliable people. When people say something starts at 1pm, you can bet it may start a little late, but no more than 20 or 30 minutes. Certainly not hours. And, if people are coming late, they call. Or text. They at least let you know. And, they generally apologize. There's a degree of respect for the people you make commitments to that isn't found in Namibia, where everyone runs on "Africa Time" (and excuse I hate, since they have phones and watches now, so there's no longer a valid excuse for not being late, or at least letting me know you are running late). I'm no longer living in a whole country of people with my mother's sense of timeliness.
Politics. There are multiple parties. And, as it's an election cycle, everyone has an opinion. Most don't have an educated opinion, but an opinion nonetheless. In Namibia, there was no question. It was SWAPO. They are, effectively, the only national party. So, you didn't get the attack ads. None of the "gotcha journalism."
Beer. So many choices. I've been to bars with more IPAs on tap than my town had for total beers and ciders combined. And, they have much higher alcohol contents. It's been super nice.
However, I miss walking down the street and smelling those braai stands. America, we need to make street meat a thing. Food trucks and hot dog stands are nice, but they're not the same, and don't have that amazing smell of grilling meat.
Finally, spicy food. Damaras don't like their food spicy. Just salty. I'm the opposite. I like heat, but not salt. So, that's nice about being back in the US. Food more to my taste. However, portion sizes are huge. I mean, just massive. I don't think I've finished a meal yet. Not one I didn't prepare for myself, at least.
Okay, I have a plane to catch, so I'll stop there. Got UNH and Northeastern this week. I'll let you know how that goes and if there are any re-integration issues on this trip. Until then, I hope you enjoyed my random, rambling thoughts and observations on the things I'm dealing with since returning to America.
Edit: some additions
Public urination. Apparently, it's not cool in the US to just drop your shorts wherever you happen to be, whip it out, and just let it go. Actually have to hold it in until you find a bathroom. Otherwise, you may be a sex offender. Good to know.
No animals wandering. Seriously, where be all the goats and cows and donkeys and chickens wandering around town?
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