"Oh! Right..." -initial impressions and reactions-

I'm writing now from Akron, Pennsylvania, after traveling nearly 40 hours from Hanoi, through Hong Kong and LA, to Philadelphia. It's been 11 months since leaving this place I think I call "home," and I've been keeping a list of things that surprise me or that I've forgotten about:

• water fountains. Public water. For. Free. Too bads it tastes like chlorine.
• bottled water for $5. $5!!! That much would buy about 10 bottles in Hanoi...
• informality between officials, store clerks, and me. Maybe it's just because I can actually understand what they're saying now, but I'm taken back by how friendly and chatty people are here.
• cool, dry air that smells amazing. I was trying to figure out what it is that smells so wonderful and fresh, but I'm pretty sure it's just the lack of exhaust fumes and pollution. Whatever it is, it smells and feels like HOME.
• diversity. Standing in the "US-passport holders" line, I was amazed at the diversity of people standing with me.
• passing money with one hand. In Vietnam, it's polite to give money or other items with two hands. Not so here.
• overhearing conversations in English-! I was expecting this, but it really is an amazing thing to be waiting in a line (and LINES themselves are another blessed surprise) and understand the people around me. Too bad they're complaining.
• cheese. Gobs of it on my pizza.
• gallons of real skim milk rolling by in a cart (at the airport). Skim milk!
• I'm no longer a giant. Looking in a mirror, I'm not conspicuous. People are big here. This also means that I loose my birds-eye perspective in big crowds.

I'm sure more surprises will come. I've only been here a day, after all. But it feels real good. All the SALTers are together for a re-entry retreat, so we're doing lots of story-swapping, laughing, and sleeping. Good times...