Being back in Maryland is weird sometimes. I remember all these places from growing up, and then differently from the transitions away from home during college (and a few summers at home), but now things do feel totally different. It's all recognizable, but from what often seems like a different life. This is the longest I've spent down here since the summer of 2001, I think.
I've been kicking it sfamily style all weekend, through today. On Saturday, we went to Virginia to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. We picked up food along the way so that they wouldn't have to cook--the natural place to go is Wegmans, which is known for its prepared food section. The place is like Walmart but just of food: it's totally massive, packed, and kind of feels like a multimedia spectabcle. There's sushi, soup, two salad bars, two bakeries, fresh fish, a 50 foot long case of prepared foods, desserts, then a separate olive bar, and butcher. All in this one area that was made to feel like an old-school marketplace with all these separate vendors. We estimated that there must be about 200 people working there at any one time. At one point, I could see 15 staff people without turning around. I feel like I'm pretty well over most of any culture shock that I'm going to have, but this was too much. "Most of the world will never see this amount of food ever in their lives," I said to my father, who just sort of laughed and agreed. It's consumer culture, and American I-want-it-now attitude, at the extreme. What we got was good, of course, and we got out as quickly as possible.
It was great to see them, including my nephew who has grown so much just since May when I saw him last. We had a good time, and are going out again on Wednesday. Yesterday, we had some family friends over to have lunch and catch up (they wanted to see me while in town), and then to see the Bourne Ultimatum, which was really good. Today we were going to go to the ocean, but it's overcsat and not worth the trip. I think we're going to go do something in DC instead.
I've been kicking it sfamily style all weekend, through today. On Saturday, we went to Virginia to visit my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. We picked up food along the way so that they wouldn't have to cook--the natural place to go is Wegmans, which is known for its prepared food section. The place is like Walmart but just of food: it's totally massive, packed, and kind of feels like a multimedia spectabcle. There's sushi, soup, two salad bars, two bakeries, fresh fish, a 50 foot long case of prepared foods, desserts, then a separate olive bar, and butcher. All in this one area that was made to feel like an old-school marketplace with all these separate vendors. We estimated that there must be about 200 people working there at any one time. At one point, I could see 15 staff people without turning around. I feel like I'm pretty well over most of any culture shock that I'm going to have, but this was too much. "Most of the world will never see this amount of food ever in their lives," I said to my father, who just sort of laughed and agreed. It's consumer culture, and American I-want-it-now attitude, at the extreme. What we got was good, of course, and we got out as quickly as possible.
It was great to see them, including my nephew who has grown so much just since May when I saw him last. We had a good time, and are going out again on Wednesday. Yesterday, we had some family friends over to have lunch and catch up (they wanted to see me while in town), and then to see the Bourne Ultimatum, which was really good. Today we were going to go to the ocean, but it's overcsat and not worth the trip. I think we're going to go do something in DC instead.
I'm back in Maryland, visiting family and friends, and waiting out the rest of my sublease. It's definitely nice to be here for a while--I was getting a little sick of travelling. Within the course of one week I was in 6 different airports (in one of the 4 times, to boot), in three countries, and three US states.
I got into Boston last week and was there for two days, then rented a car (from the airport, hence the additional airport trips), and went to a wedding in upstate NY over the weekend, back to Boston on Sunday to fly to Baltimore on Monday.
I had a great day today: got up early, went for a run, took care of some emails and stuff to do, took a nap, had lunch, ran some errands, ate dinner with my parents, then got through some reading while also half-watching a movie. I wish I could have more days like that.
I'm still in a bit of culture reacclimation. Like, being at the grocery store today was a little overwhelming. It wasn't as big as the big grocery store in Lilongwe, but that its size and amount of products was so normal here (there are two others in the town, one of which is larger) just seemed weird. Also, Americans eat some weird food. All that processed shit just can't be good for you. Seriously, who needs their kids starting off the day with chocolate waffles? Whatever.
Now tomorrow off to DC for a few days to hang out with friends and kick it in a city. The suburbs are a little lackluster after a while.
Last note: high-bandwith rules and allows for you tube again.
I got into Boston last week and was there for two days, then rented a car (from the airport, hence the additional airport trips), and went to a wedding in upstate NY over the weekend, back to Boston on Sunday to fly to Baltimore on Monday.
I had a great day today: got up early, went for a run, took care of some emails and stuff to do, took a nap, had lunch, ran some errands, ate dinner with my parents, then got through some reading while also half-watching a movie. I wish I could have more days like that.
I'm still in a bit of culture reacclimation. Like, being at the grocery store today was a little overwhelming. It wasn't as big as the big grocery store in Lilongwe, but that its size and amount of products was so normal here (there are two others in the town, one of which is larger) just seemed weird. Also, Americans eat some weird food. All that processed shit just can't be good for you. Seriously, who needs their kids starting off the day with chocolate waffles? Whatever.
Now tomorrow off to DC for a few days to hang out with friends and kick it in a city. The suburbs are a little lackluster after a while.
Last note: high-bandwith rules and allows for you tube again.
