I was talking to a girl at a party the other night. She lives in my building with another girl in my program. I was talking to her about homesickness and her experiences. She had been away from home for a year in New Zealand. We started talking about things you miss, people you miss, foods you miss and all those other things that go with being away for so long. Then, she turns to me and she says:
"You have to choose."
I ask her to clarifiy. She explains that you can't be two people at once. You can't be living in two countries at once, keeping track of everyone in your home town and also where you are living at the same time. She said,
"There comes a time where you have to choose."
I took this to heart, but at the same time, I realize that I am trying to do both. I am attempting to be in Chicago, and also be in Germany. Cater to my friends here, and my friends across the ocean. How do you choose something like that? How do you valuate your experiences in a foreign country over those that you feel close to home?
It's next to impossible.
I feel both. I have a love and compassion for Germany and the people here, but at the same time, I know my heart belongs in Chicago. I feel my fullest looking at the Sears tower or walking in Wicker Park. I like the streets that call to me knowing I won't get lost. I like the english yelling outside, mustard dripping down their lips yelling at their girlfriends "Hey baby! I'm sorry!". When here, I don't seek it, but I hear it...English. Even though I am fluent in German, I still listen for it - looking for that familiarity that goes with that nice feeling in your body when you know you are home.
"You have to choose."
I ask her to clarifiy. She explains that you can't be two people at once. You can't be living in two countries at once, keeping track of everyone in your home town and also where you are living at the same time. She said,
"There comes a time where you have to choose."
I took this to heart, but at the same time, I realize that I am trying to do both. I am attempting to be in Chicago, and also be in Germany. Cater to my friends here, and my friends across the ocean. How do you choose something like that? How do you valuate your experiences in a foreign country over those that you feel close to home?
It's next to impossible.
I feel both. I have a love and compassion for Germany and the people here, but at the same time, I know my heart belongs in Chicago. I feel my fullest looking at the Sears tower or walking in Wicker Park. I like the streets that call to me knowing I won't get lost. I like the english yelling outside, mustard dripping down their lips yelling at their girlfriends "Hey baby! I'm sorry!". When here, I don't seek it, but I hear it...English. Even though I am fluent in German, I still listen for it - looking for that familiarity that goes with that nice feeling in your body when you know you are home.
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