I tried several times to use this explanation when asked why I spent 20 hours traveling to spend 72 hours in the US – but I never managed it with a straight face. In truth, the only regret I had when I got my first scholarship was that I would miss July 4th Fellow’s Weekend at Wiess... so when I got a second grant that also covered airfare, the decision was made. If only for three days, I would be back in Houston.
In the first week of my trip, when I was homesick and scared of all the uncertainties that come with travel, the promise of those three days was a lifeline. Every time I took my vitamins, I was 600 mg of Calcium – half a day – closer to home. Surely it’s crazy to imagine Houston in July as anything like Heaven, but I did. I couldn’t wait to be back.
What was the weirdest thing about being back in the States, you ask? Something that has nothing to do with having travelled internationally for over a month: it was unspeakably weird not to have a car. I lent my baby to my friend Sherry for the summer, so when I flew back into Houston I found myself relying just as much on the generosity of others as I’m forced to when abroad. On the morning of the fourth, I found myself in such distress at making the 20 minute walk to campus in the crazy humid heat that I called one of the Head Fellows and made him send a car to pick me up. I don’t know how anyone without a car survives in this city.
Speaking of that generosity, though, I’d like to send out some Oscar-style thanks to those of you who made my weekend the wonderful holiday that it was. So thank you Erin (Walsh) for you hospitality and delicious air conditioning, Mary Grace just for being in Houston – I loved every second we got to spend together, Joel for the ride from the airport, Richard for taking me back to the airport again, Jordon for indulging all my Dave Matthews talk, Stephen for figuring out how to zip up my bag, Kathryn for driving all the way from Katy for dinner, Kelsey for doing crazy things to your hair just for my amusement (haha), Jesse for not meaning all your inappropriate jokes about hitting on our freshmen, Kimberly for meeting me at the airport, and to Aparna and Veronica for reading this blog and telling me so :-). Y'all made my weekend in Houston the most refreshing, exciting, comforting three days of my summer – I can’t wait to be back again for good.
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