Robyn.Bowles.es

We’ll be flying home one month from today – 31 days from now. We are very excited, and yet are experiencing a lot of emotions regarding our time at home.

We will have been in Madrid for just over a year by the time we’re home again. Sometimes as I imagine it, the imagination feels so comfortable and familiar, and yet I know so much has changed. First of all, we don’t have our own house to come “home” to. Home will be with our friends and family. I also consider the physical changes that my nieces and nephew have gone through in the past year. Seeing pictures of them as they’ve grown has helped, but the fact that Emma talks and Jacob walks and Maggie has learned so much this year. . . it’s a little sad to realize all that we’ve missed.

The other hard part is the fact of planning to leave them all again. August 6, 2003 was a very difficult day. Maybe it will be less difficult because we already know what to expect here and will have friends awaiting us in Madrid – but maybe it will be more difficult because we’ll see what we’ve missed: all the things that changed and happened without us, and know that the next months and years will bring even more of that.

And not to mention the “reverse” culture shock. Maybe I should do some reading about this ahead of time so I can be better prepared and aware of what to expect.

Any personal stories anyone can share about a similar experience?

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