One Week Countdown! What's going on in our heads...

June 15, 2018

Today marks exactly one week left in The Long Way Around the World! Instead of a typical post about our daily travails, I thought it appropriate to write a quick blog about how each of us is feeling about our homecoming. And besides, what better way to fill a 6 hour road trip from the Smoky Mountains to Charleston. 

Bryce:

I'm excited to be headed home, because we haven't seen all the stuff that's there in one year. I definitely want to see all my stuffed animals, and Hilo... oh, and my friends. I feel like I'm not going to be homesick any more. Excited to have my favorite hot dogs again!

Zane:

I feel weird. I'm wondering what people will ask me? I'm nervous about all the questions people are going to ask, because I sometimes can't think of the correct response to questions. My answer changes all the time. I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends. I'm looking forward to having time away from the family. We can annoy each other a lot (especially Bryce). 

I'm wondering what BART is going to look like. We have seen so much, and now we need to explore California more. I'm looking forward to not having to go to restaurants as much anymore (editor's note... we actually ate at home A LOT, all things considered). 

I want to play with my friends a lot, and I want to go to Leo's new house. I wonder what everyone will look like. 

I liked being flexible on this trip... sometimes we could stay up a little later. 

I'm nervous about going back to school. 

Editors Note: Last night I prepped Zane to think about this question before he went to bed. After settling down on the porch swing (we need one of those) for 15 minutes, Zane came out of bed very upset about losing Lovey. For a month, he had made no mention of his comfort friend, and we thought he had moved on. The question about how he felt about going home got his head spinning. He grew so distraught about returning to the old normal, he needed comfort. Zane has always struggled with change. He craves an understanding of the future. A year ago, we were quite worried about how he was dealing with being on the road, but no longer. Ironically, he has grown so used to the daily change, his anxiety now arises from returning to his comfort zone. He was worried about the questions he will be asked and that it's difficult for him to isolate particular things. We told him to be honest with everyone, that there were so many things that happened during the year, it's ok to tell people that it's too hard to answer. 

Autumn:

[Editor's Note: Autumn spewed a stream of consciousness here, so I will leave it in list form...]

• I'm very excited there is only a week left until I get to see my friends again. 
• I am excited to go to our cabin for the 4th. 
• I'm excited to see Hilo and curious what he will do. Will he sniff. Will he not know us. Will he flip out, I don't know. 
• I can't wait to see Banchan, Jichan, Pop Pop and all our family.
• I'm really excited to have the piano, flute, and picolo again at the house. 
• I didn't think I would make it through the entire year. I thought something might happen and we would say, "Well, I guess we'll need to go home." 
• It's weird to have been gone for a full year. 
• I won't miss going to different places every couple days and pack all the time.
• I'm extremely excited to have sourdough again. 
• I'm looking forward to routine. 
• I think I have changed but I don't know how to describe it. It just feels like I know more things, seen so many things, yet at the same time I know nothing. 
• I now want to travel more. Before the trip I didn't feel the need to travel. Now I want to go to Greenland, Russia, Canada, South America... pretty much everywhere. 
• I'm a little nervous to talk with people when we get back home as I have only been around our family (and not sure if I know how to talk with friends still). 
• Sad I didn't read as much. 
• I'm very excited to wear different clothes. 
• Are people just going to act normal toward me? 
• I'm looking forward to not being with Zane (and all the family) constantly. 
• I will miss being able to stay up late and wake up later. 
• I won't miss online school (although it would have been ok if we were at home). 
• I'm excited to bake things. 
• I'm looking forward to a haircut.

Nicole:

I'm just a big ol' mess. I'm a whole mix of emotion. I'm really PROUD of our family. We set out to do it, and we did it. There was crap, there was fun, there were challenges, and we did it! I'm very excited to sleep in my own bed, and be with my puppy dog. I'm just excited to be in my own home with sharp knives and all the comforts of OUR home (the way we live). I won't miss all those random kitchens. 

I'm both happy it's over, and sad it's over. When you have anticipated something so long, then do it, and then it's over, there is sadness. The journey is over. But I'm happy to be going home and see family and friends - To get real hugs instead of virtual hugs. I'll be glad to get back to routine. 

This trip has made me so grateful to live where we live. 

Oh, and I'm looking forward to a haircut. 

Steve:
I simply can't believe that it's already over. It has simultaneously been the longest and the shortest year of my life. When every day is filled with a unique set of challenges and adventures, time moves faster. At the midpoint, I thought it would never end, and now I look back and it feels like we were in Iceland last month (not 11 months ago). 

I thrive off the variability and freedom to explore, so going back to a routine is something I'm not looking forward to. I could probably wander the world indefinitely if that were possible. I'm quite nervous about returning to work and somehow picking up where I left off.  

I'm nervous about what we're coming home to and overwhelmed by all the things we need to get done when we get back. Gives me something new to map out on a wall (Insert "Meh" face here from Nicole). 

I'm looking forward to the Cajun Chicken Burrito at Gourmet Burrito.

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All for now... Next Non-Trip Posts: 

- A year in review

- How to use Airbnb - for Hosts and Guests alike

- The Nuts and Bolts - The Financial Analysis (FYI, I've been keeping a careful accounting of all expenses)

- A Month Later - Life after a year abroad