Hi friends.
January is half over and I haven’t even properly wished you a happy new year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope your holidays were lovely and the start into the new year blissful and full of great expectations.
We had a truly wonderful time in Germany with family and friends, but I have yet to put down some coherent thoughts on our long-anticipated, badly needed trip. I always find it so hard to get back into the swing of things after returning from an overseas trip. It’s not as much jetlag as it is a distinct sense of knowing that I will not see my family for a long time again that makes it so difficult. You’d think it gets easier with time, but that’s not the case.
You know, I’ve traveled back and forth across the ocean a myriad of times now and yet, I always feel a bit odd when I get on the plane over there and then (a few hours later – give or take) get off over here.
Rationally, I know that I’ve been on the plane for multiple hours crossing countries, border and timezones, but emotionally I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that one second I was there and now I am here again. I find it very challenging to even put these feelings into words that really would make sense to anyone but me (which is once again testament to the limits of language as they’re no proper words to describe certain things), but: internationally traveling friends, please tell me that I am not the only one.
I’ve been pretty ‘unplugged’ from social media over the holidays and it’s become a regular, quite welcome digital sabbatical at the end of each year. I sometimes get to the point where I feel overwhelmed and sometimes even a little annoyed by being so connected. It’s nice to swap online interactions with real life, face-to-face time with family and friends and recharge my emotional tank.
I’ve been back at work for a little over a week and it definitely has helped adjusting back to our life here, but I don’t think I’ll stop missing my little munchkins (up there) any time soon.
Holly
January 16, 2014 at 1:01 pmHappy New Year! I feel the same way when I get back from visiting my family on the other side of the country. I only see them once a year, if that … It’s hard, thinking about everything I’m missing. I have nieces and nephews I barely know ~ Skype is great, but it’s not the same as actually being there! Maybe you’ll get to visit again before too awfully long?
Gina
January 16, 2014 at 2:55 pmWelcome back, San! And happy new year to you, too! :)
PS – Let’s get coffee soon!
katelin
January 16, 2014 at 8:04 pmso glad you had a good time at home! and such a sweet picture, love it.
Erin
January 17, 2014 at 1:14 pmI’ve missed you. Welcome back. I’m glad you had such a wonderful time.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
January 20, 2014 at 12:35 pmI get the same feeling when I travel to Europe – it’s a little jarring that you travel so far in such a relatively short amount of time!
I am glad you had a wonderful time at home with family. I am sure it is so hard to say good bye knowing it will be a long time before you see them again. :(
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks
January 24, 2014 at 10:57 amEven though my family (usually) lives in the States, I also have had some trouble putting together my thoughts about our trip to Italy three months ago! One of my monthly goals in January is to put some thought into blogging about it – because without a little bit of structure (and a deadline!) I’ll never get around to it! I imagine it’s that much harder when your family really does live overseas.