Adjusting to "Reality"

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It's such a strange and unfamiliar feeling to be back. The crisp, fresh air is something that I dearly longed for...I never slept at all on the 12 hour plane ride and I barely drifted in and out of consciousness on the second plane ride to Portland. My friend Chaunte picked me up and on the 2 hour ride home, I rambled on about China, skipping over the details...we made a quick stop at a secret swimming hole near the McKenzie River where we enjoyed the company of a stranger friend, organic watermelon, and the beauty of the setting sun. I dipped into the cold water up to my waste, looking into the distance, I saw a blue heron fly over. Nature is something I can never escape and as promised, it always brings the good vibes.

I knew that when I came back, it would be somewhat difficult to adjust to everything. When talking about any experience, words fail to convey the emotions, the thought process, and the feelings that create and make up an experience. When you return from traveling or after any trip, everything feels stagnant and stale, forever stuck in the moment in which you left it...yet the things that you used to think were important, the memories that you once held on to and maybe even your values have shifted, transformed and grown. It's difficult to explain the feeling and sometimes none of it makes any sense to me, but I know that I'm a changed individual; a wiser, more cultured and experienced soul from this trip. Truly, no one, except for those who were a part of the journey would understand my viewpoints because they were able to witness and endure the pains and joys of every moment. It almost feels hopeless to even attempt to express it...This simple, easy living seems meaningless and unrealistic...Traveling is my reality.

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