When I think of Homecoming, I think of the big, traditional, American homecoming festivities. The high school dance, big football game with the weakest team in the conference so you can guarantee a win, basically a big rigamarole. Is that what I expected when I landed back on American soil?! I'm not going to answer that. But...maybe.
The last few weeks before I was coming home I joked with Chris to make sure he made all of the proper arrangements at O'Hare - wind machine, all employees and passersby briefed on moving in slow motion when he and I first see each other, you know - the usual.
There was no wind machine and apparently the airport employees are busy screening people and doing their jobs instead of starting a slow clap, but it was still an unforgettable moment. My vocabulary is not nearly vast enough to explain the emotions I felt coming down the escalator and seeing my husband for the first time in weeks... and knowing I'd get to see him every day until forever. Priceless.
The first few days back were a whirlwind. Not only did I get to come back to my hubby, but my awesome hubby closed on our house while I was still in Australia and bought me a new car. Life is good!!! I gorged myself on all things Americana - Mexican food (obvs), good chocolate, pop culture (what's going on with Blair and Serena?!), and lots and lots of college basketball. I also started to mentally prepare myself for all of the questions I'd get in the office:
"Did you see any kangaroos?" - No.
"Did you get an accent?" - I'm not Madonna. You don't lose an accent in six months.
"G'day mate!" - Yeah, that's original and not annoying at all
"Put another shrimp on the barbie!" - Again original, and they call them prawns, by the way
"Did you go to the Outback?" - No. Noone goes there but tourists - everything there can kill you
It was such an interesting situation. All things were shiny and new in my personal life - coming back to my new hubby, new house and new car; and yet I was going back to the same office and the same desk I've sat at for the past seven years. Granted, I barely recognized any of the faces in the office, and it had quite a different feel from when I was last working there, but my desk was still my same old desk.
This is it. I'm back home.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
The Longest Flight Ever - Part 2... The Return
I thought it was a long flight six months ago when I was on my way over to Australia. Oh my naivete! A long flight is when you're going home... for good... to finally see your husband. Wow.
My flight left Sydney at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 1st. And I landed in Chicago at 2:30pm on Tuesday, March 1st. Wouldn't it be nice if was only a 2.5 hour flight!! A girl can dream... unless she can't sleep on a 16 hour flight. Yeah. Fun.
So, I may have been a little excited (just a fuzz), and it didn't help that my flight left in the middle of the day so I wasn't tired at all. Let's just say that 3 movies, and several episodes of Glee, Modern Family and 30 Rock later, we still weren't beginning our initial descent into LAX. Sigh. I felt like that episode of Seinfeld where Putty and Elaine are flying back from Europe and Putty just stares at the back of the seat in front of him.
Despite all of the odds, I somehow make it through, land in LA and get on my last leg from LAX to ORD. I got excited that the seat next to me would be empty for that leg when at the last minute this ridiculously beautiful woman sits next to me (yes, she is a model and yes, I'll tell you who it was).
There was a lot of drama with finding space for her bag and I got stuck standing in the aisle for a while, but she was really nice and we starting chatting. I told her that I was coming back from Sydney and how I was there for work, away from my husband. She tells me how much she likes Sydney and how she couldn't imagine being away from her boyfriend for that long. Her boyfriend lives in LA and she lives in the midwest but they still manage to see each other every 3 days or so.
While we're chatting, I'm racking my brain as to where I may have seen her before. I couldn't figure out if she was an actress or a model... or I guess both. I was petrified that I was going to flip the page in the Elle magazine I was reading and see her picture - wouldn't that be akward. We continue chatting and she asks me what I do for a living and if I work in fashion. Are you kidding me?!!!! That is literally the best compliment ever, miss stranger super model person! Thank you!!
We land in O'Hare, she tells me welcome home again and we wish each other safe travels. In my drive home with Chris I mention, "I think I sat next to a Victoria Secret supermodel on my way here". We get home start googling to try and figure out who she is. I can't find any pictures of her, and then I remember.
"Oh! I think I saw her last name on the luggage tag.... it was Mellencamp."
How I didn't think of that earlier I don't know. It's not exactly like Mellencamp is a really common name. Yep, I sat next to Elaine Mellencamp. John Cougar Mellencamp's soon to be ex-wife (hopefully, given the boyfriend conversation). Ummm... that's pretty cool. I really would have appreciated her keeping me company on my long leg from Sydney to LAX, but she made it really interesting from LAX to ORD. Thanks, Elaine! Hey, and if you happen to read this - I thought you were really nice. We should be besties. Call me!
My flight left Sydney at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 1st. And I landed in Chicago at 2:30pm on Tuesday, March 1st. Wouldn't it be nice if was only a 2.5 hour flight!! A girl can dream... unless she can't sleep on a 16 hour flight. Yeah. Fun.
So, I may have been a little excited (just a fuzz), and it didn't help that my flight left in the middle of the day so I wasn't tired at all. Let's just say that 3 movies, and several episodes of Glee, Modern Family and 30 Rock later, we still weren't beginning our initial descent into LAX. Sigh. I felt like that episode of Seinfeld where Putty and Elaine are flying back from Europe and Putty just stares at the back of the seat in front of him.
Despite all of the odds, I somehow make it through, land in LA and get on my last leg from LAX to ORD. I got excited that the seat next to me would be empty for that leg when at the last minute this ridiculously beautiful woman sits next to me (yes, she is a model and yes, I'll tell you who it was).
There was a lot of drama with finding space for her bag and I got stuck standing in the aisle for a while, but she was really nice and we starting chatting. I told her that I was coming back from Sydney and how I was there for work, away from my husband. She tells me how much she likes Sydney and how she couldn't imagine being away from her boyfriend for that long. Her boyfriend lives in LA and she lives in the midwest but they still manage to see each other every 3 days or so.
While we're chatting, I'm racking my brain as to where I may have seen her before. I couldn't figure out if she was an actress or a model... or I guess both. I was petrified that I was going to flip the page in the Elle magazine I was reading and see her picture - wouldn't that be akward. We continue chatting and she asks me what I do for a living and if I work in fashion. Are you kidding me?!!!! That is literally the best compliment ever, miss stranger super model person! Thank you!!
We land in O'Hare, she tells me welcome home again and we wish each other safe travels. In my drive home with Chris I mention, "I think I sat next to a Victoria Secret supermodel on my way here". We get home start googling to try and figure out who she is. I can't find any pictures of her, and then I remember.
"Oh! I think I saw her last name on the luggage tag.... it was Mellencamp."
How I didn't think of that earlier I don't know. It's not exactly like Mellencamp is a really common name. Yep, I sat next to Elaine Mellencamp. John Cougar Mellencamp's soon to be ex-wife (hopefully, given the boyfriend conversation). Ummm... that's pretty cool. I really would have appreciated her keeping me company on my long leg from Sydney to LAX, but she made it really interesting from LAX to ORD. Thanks, Elaine! Hey, and if you happen to read this - I thought you were really nice. We should be besties. Call me!
This could be the end
It seemed like it would never come, but this is it. This is really it. I'm going home! Now that it's all over it seems like it went really fast. While I was in it felt fast and slow all at the same time. In the end it turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Not everyone picks up and moves across the world (literally... man, is Australia far!) - especially after just getting married.
So, was it worth it?? Hmm... I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?! Let's just say this:
So, was it worth it?? Hmm... I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it?! Let's just say this:
- I got to live in downtown Sydney, Australia.... in the spring and summertime
- I missed 'Snowmaggedon 2011' in Chicago while I was basking in the Sydney sunshine
- I spent Christmas in Fiji. Yeah, top that.
- While I didn't see it all, I saw some beautiful places in an amazing country - South Australia - the Barossa Valley, the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Melbourne, all of the breathtaking beaches in Sydney....
So maybe the question is weather or not I would do it again. And honestly, I really don't know. There are things I loved about Australia and there are things I absolutely hated. Ultimately, I'll never be able to recreate the amazing six months I spent here and the relationships I made along the way. So, no, I don't think I'd do it again. But I'll definitely be back.... but just for a visit next time.
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