I’ve been back in the states for about a week and a half now. It’s a weird feeling, coming back after being somewhere else for five weeks. Settling, or not settling, back into previous life patterns. I’m not sure if I’ve changed like they say travel changes you. I’d imagine that happens when you go really far out of your comfort zone and not to a country that still speaks your language.
Since being back though, the thing that’s been most unnerving is noticing the changes that have happened over the past few years. The things I enjoy now versus the things I used to love. I grew up a lot while living in Philadelphia, but I’m not sure I ever acknowledged it. Now it’s caught me off guard, startling me while walking through a store or flipping through some music. It’s like this trip triggered an interesting distance, or change, in that way I’m viewing things. It’s so hard to describe. I can relate to Frodo at the end of Lord of the Rings now though. I’ve lived this portion of my life and while I’ve written about it on this blog, I’ve experienced it on my own. And maybe that has changed me.
One of the best things about this trip has been the increase in drawing enthusiasm. Even though I didn’t draw as much as I wanted to while out there, just being around art and history has shown an dramatic impact on my confidence level. I feel like there is just a tiny bit less resistance when I sit down to draw. I want to keep it up and make something happen. Which brings me to the second best thing of this trip; I am now more convinced that I need to do something in life that will make me happy, even if that means not following convention, tradition or society’s norms. I am the girl that’s more happy in a museum than a bar or club. And I think I’m finally accepting that with open arms.
Next stop, everywhere!
