Culture Shock

Today the culture shock hit.  That sounds sort of ridiculous - how does one get culture shock when they were only gone for two weeks and were in the same country?  Well, it happens.  I'm not really sure what triggered it.  My aunt is in town and Mom, Grandma, Aunt Coleen and I all went to see The Help this afternoon.  It was so, so good - almost as good as the book - and made me cry four times, but it may have helped bring on the feeling of loneliness that one gets from culture shock.  Not that the movie itself triggered it, but whenever you watch a movie in a theater or read a book for a long time without interruption, you come out of it feeling a bit lost in the real world.

Out on the boat.

Then, going over to Uncle Bob's afterward, everyone sat around playing games on the computer, or iPad or iPod and I was just sitting there, youngest by 30 years, staring into space wondering why talking is apparently not enough to keep people entertained these days.  All my friends make fun of me for not having a smart phone.  I don't care.  I don't want one.  I know one day I will have to give in, but I don't want to be one of those people who, when the merest hint of boredom approaches, whips out the phone and starts to play Angry Birds or Stupid Zombies.  And that is where you get me longing for Utah.

I miss walking/hiking every day and being out in nature.  I miss the stars and how everyone there seemed just as enthused about the rocks as I did.  You also didn't see people playing Angry Birds on the top of Angel's Landing or amongst the hoodoos in Bryce.  Yes, the people in Moab may have been hippies, but life just felt slower and the people more appreciative.  I could be doing what all travelers do - seeing the world around them in rose colored glasses - but what's wrong with rose-colored glasses?  I'm in favor of them.  I'd rather be ignorantly happy than cynically depressed.

It's just hard going from living with the land to being in a constantly air conditioned house surrounded by pavement and cars and buildings and light pollution.  Thank God I don't live somewhere like NYC or LA.  I'd really be going crazy by now.



On a happier note, I went out on my Uncle Bob's boat with Mom Monday and it was hot but really fun.  I also completed several complicated moves in silk aerial yesterday and there was no falling on my head.  I'm definitely getting stronger and more flexible which is awesome. 

Last night, when Aunt Coleen arrived, she brought 2 giant trash bags of clothes/shoes to me from Megan (my cousin).  It's better than Christmas.  I never have to buy clothes thanks to her and they're all so beautiful!  I had fun trying everything on and giving Mom and Aunt Coleen a fashion show. lol

Clothes and shoes from Megan!

Tonight I'm going to salsa and tomorrow at 11 I'm having lunch with a group of elderly ladies who have been meeting for lunch once a month for about 20 years.  I'm going to do a story on them and I'm sure I'll enjoy some lively and entertaining conversation.  From there, I'm driving to Chapel Hill to visit and get some things done (like pick up transcripts), then I'm staying with Colene in Raleigh for the weekend.  I'm also going to join the Dutch club (the one I went to with Lieselotte when I was in town last) for their Klaverjassen card game which happens to be this Saturday.  I'm sure the weekend will make me feel much better! :)