Reverse Culture Shock and Animal Therapy

I'm in Daytona Beach, Florida and I have now been in the United States of America for exactly one week, after nearly 6 months in Peru.

Today, I had some reverse culture shock.

I was at the beach with friends and friends of friends and I wasn't feeling very well and everything suddenly seemed so strange; the food and the conversation and the friends and the friends of friends. I can't pinpoint exactly what it was but I felt completely out of place, as if nothing I had ever done could relate to this situation or these people. It was a lovely day and everyone was friendly and kind....

....but all I wanted was for a D'nofria ice cream man with his little yellow cart to role up. I wanted to buy a Tri-color with my soles and ask him for it in Spanish. I wanted to talk about international travel and where to find the best pisco sours and what the heck was happening in Chile, anyway?

There were plenty of times in Peru when I only wanted to speak English and eat American food. But in Peru, that was ok because I felt like I was on a grand adventure...this. here, in Florida running errands, sunning on the beach, is normal life for millions of Americans, and I feel like I don't belong.

But enough moping.

Lately, I've been really loving dogs and cats. I didn't have pets in Peru and I'm not allowed to have them in DC. But I got to hang with my Grandpa's pets and now with my friend's family of 2 dogs and a cat and it is amazing therapy (I'll post photos soon!). My friend here has a cat that was raised with dogs, and she thinks she is a dog and feels like silk. My Grandpa has a dog named Banjo and a cat named Cat that is a beautiful half siamese. (We tried to get him to name it Fiddle, to go along with Banjo, but he wouldn't have it.) Animals don't care what culture you are used to. And all these animals are adorable and strangely make me miss my Ball Python I used to have name Quetzal (and also my cat, but Quetzal came to mind first).

Don't ask me why snuggling a silky kitty makes me think of my snake, but it does. He was a good snake, and where ever you are now, Quetzal, I hope your adopted family is treating you well.

Maybe the next post will make more sense and be more aesthetically pleasing. In fact, I promise it will. Please don't stop reading just because of this...

{Also, follow my blog! You just have to create a profile but don't have to start your own blog! I would love some more followers! (it helps to have a followed blog as a writing sample for jobs)}