Loot From America

It's funny right, but when I left Boston last year I never imagined that I'd miss anything. I don't know, going from America to Europe isn't a hardship as there are so many great stores and things here that it's impossible to really want for anything. And most of the shops in the states that I frequent all carry products from Europe anyway so what's to miss? But then the awesome Becky sent me a care package today with some loot from Target from their Liberty of London collection and I felt a bit more excitement than I had imagined feeling opening a package of loot from America. It felt exotic. Ha! Exotic. Imagine. But now that America seems so far away to me getting things from the states is kind of exciting. It's strange, it's the feeling I once had when friends sent me stuff from Europe.



But I still don't miss much which has taught me a lot about myself. I don't think moving is as much about learning to live in a new culture as it is about learning more about yourself. Much of what I've experienced has taught me more about how I think than how Germans think. I'm learning what matters, really matters... which is fascinating to me because I guess I expected to come over here and lose track of myself for awhile because I'd be immersed in this new, exciting life.



But it's just the opposite -- I'm learning more about myself from total immersion, and while I'm still learning about local customs and culture, it all feels like one big learning experience more on the inside -- in my own head and heart -- than what I'm learning through observation of what is around me here. And so being an expat, living here abroad, is truly a life changing experience that I actually wish everyone could experience, if only for a few years once in their life. I cannot even begin to tell you how much you will grow as a person and what you find out about yourself... and I came over here thinking I knew myself so thoroughly. Yes, in my element I did. But in another environment entirely you are not in your comfort zone and are forced to deal with things you'd never encountered before and your reactions to them can be somewhat surprising in both positive and negative ways.




So yes, the loot from America was a joy to open. Thank you Becky! But aside from Target, I'm not missing much at all from home. Of course, I miss my family but I'm referring to things and places, not people. In fact, if Germany had a Target I may never need to leave Europe. :)

(images: holly becker for haus maus)