Ho Chi Minh City Adventures: Day 110: The First Day Back

Today is my first day back in the United States. My sleep schedule is completely off and I spent most of the day sleeping. Let's just say I will probably only be seeing my parents in the morning and at night for the next few days as my body adjusts to the time difference.

There have been a few culture shocks that aren't necessarily hard to adjust to but things that I had just forgotten. Using a knife seems like a new concept since I haven't used one since before I left for Vietnam. I forgot that you don't have to throw toilet paper in the garbage can in the United States--you can flush it right down the toilet! As we passed a car while driving on the highway, I immediately wondered what job the person had that allowed them to own a car. It seems I temporary forgot that people in the United States own cars and not motorbikes. It's amazing to me to see all of the stuff that we own, after visiting houses that were so simple. Finding food now involves opening the fridge or cupboard and being shocked at all of the processed foods that are in there, instead of heading out to the street to buy fresh fruit or freshly prepared food. (The food has also caused a few stomach problems.) The thing that I'm having the most trouble adjusting to, however, is the cold. My hands and feet feel like ice, I'm wearing two shirts, my heaviest sweatpants, and am constantly wrapped in two blankets. The sad thing is that I know it is going to get much colder.

As promised, here are some pictures from my last night in Vietnam. A night of lasts: last motorbike ride, last street meal, last night with friends. A night full of laughing, memories, reminiscing, and tears. A night that went by way too fast.