El reencuentro parte 2

One week ago tonight I arrived in the States, and while I have stopped un-knowingly speaking in Spanish and looking at people surprised when they speak to me in English, there are many things that are still very strange to me... I want to write about this because coming into my home country with fresh eyes -- it's an experience that does not happen often. And because I like learning about myself -- how I transition/deal with transitions, and also seeing little by little how I've changed...

Funny moments/reoccuring themes:
-- Yesterday I was at the gym and saw a friend from high school. I was excited to see him and, as I have done for the past six months, went to kiss him on the cheek. RIGHT before I kissed him, I realized what I was doing, and saved myself by giving him an awkward hug. Shoot... haha.
-- I still don't understand that it's SUMMER here. It's so weird to me that it's over 100F (about 40C) every day, and I can't understand that my family is swimming in our pool, and that friends of siblings are coming over to spend the night for nights on end... I KNOW it's summer, but it just seems WEIRD. A week ago I was in gloves and shivering and there was no green-ness anywhere!
-- Every time my family eats, I'm totally thrown off. Lunch at noon? Dinner at 6? Aren't you a few hours early?? That can't be right...we're missing a meal! What happened to the merienda? (afternoon tea)
-- Wednesday at Barnes and Noble, some woman gave me 15.93 exactly in change. When she handed me the coins, I stopped and stared at them and thought, "Why is she not hoarding her change?! Is she crazy? How DOES she have all that change??" And then I realized I was in the US. I no longer have to fight people for coins. There are more than enough in circulation...

And how I feel? Hmmm... that IS the question. Today and yesterday were difficult days because reality is hitting me that this isn't just vacation; I'm not going to wake up some morning and walk downstairs to argentine kisses and tea. And I miss the people and the familiarity of Buenos Aires. And Chicago and Carbondale know nothing, nothing, nada of Buenos Aires... and that feeling is... not so great. Oh, transition... it makes us stronger, no?