I’ve been back home from Buenos Aires for a week now.
The trip home wasn’t that bad actually excluding all of the unexpected fees. $100 (U.S.) for my luggage and then a $18 leaving Argentina and being an American tax. I was mad about those. It threw my budget completely out of whack. But besides that I navigated my way through the foreign airport with ease. Wished I had some money left over for all of the duty free shopping they had going on. Had plenty of time to wait for my flight. Went into el espacio para los fumadores, as I referred to it, where I decided to quit smoking after sitting with all of those people in that tiny smoky room. You would think they could manage a little more space in a place as big as the airport.
On the flight back I sat next to a Uruguayan rugby player. There was a bunch of them, all wearing their little uniforms. Not their game uniforms, just like some track pants and matching jackets. And for dinner there was, among other things, a wilted salad with ITALIAN DRESSING. Which I had not had for two and a half months. It was still good. But the best part was when I fell asleep and then slept the whole way until breakfast when we were nearing Fort Worth, Texas.
I never thought I would be so happy to see that big wide North American sky. I caught a connecting flight to San Diego, which seemed to take forever. But finally we were approaching. It was raining so we had to swing out over the ocean as we were landing. I could see my old apartment in OB. I was so happy to be home. I was elated.
Not that I didn’t love Buenos Aires, but there’s no place like home. And anyway I was feeling pretty yucky and scrubby from being on a plane for so long.
I didn’t really feel any shock coming back. It felt just like I was coming home from a thousand other trips before that. Same streets, same marina we drive past exiting the airport. The freeway (autopista) seemed very wide a clean. Isn’t that funny how when you come home after being gone for a long time, how everything seems a little bigger for the first couple days? Especially streets and rooms and pets, I think.
So the first thing I did when I got home after taking a shower was scramble eggs and fry up some bacon because I missed American breakfast. Oh and I drank a big glass of milk from a gallon jug, not some little bag.
Overall I feel like a new person, and also like the same person. Going to Buenos Aires was definitely worth it - even though my job situation didn’t work out so I’m presently unemployed and wigging! I have returned and now I have to finish applying to college, send a ton of pictures out still, and find a job. So that’s all for now.

Love you lots,
Elizabeth