The mountains were out when I landed in Denver this morning. Everything went with perhaps the most ease possible for long international flights. My first flight was delayed by about an hour, but that was okay because I had an airport buddy in Asunción (another intern was leaving at almost the same time) and it just meant that I got to hang out in Sao Paulo for 6 hours instead of 7. No big deal. All of the rest were right on time or early. I met interesting people (including one flight attendant on my Sao Paulo-Houston flight who was then on my Houston-Denver flight, and then my bus from the airport to Boulder. Flight attendant Mary and I spent a lot of time together. And she was cool, so that is good.)
And there was no line for customs at 5 AM Houston time. None. That was good too. The immigration guy let me back into the country, based on my customs form, on which I was of course completely honest. I was in Paraguay just for tourism (I was Paraguay’s first tourist) and that cow I milked definitely does not count as contact with livestock….right?? Grabbed my bag, walked down a corridor, gave them back my bag, walked through security, got on another plane. I didn’t have to wait for my bag or a bus upon arrival in Denver. They came right when I wanted them to.
So that is all good. On the other hand, I feel like I have had a deer-in-the-headlights, what-the-heck-is-going-on look on my face ever since I landed in Houston. I think in heading to Paraguay I knew everything was going to be different than I was used to and had prepared myself for that. So, while I was learning every day and figuring the place out, I was expecting it. But this was supposed to be coming home, returning to the familiar. But it somehow feels so very unfamiliar and strange. Though I’m sure I’ll readjust quickly, for now I feel a bit off kilter…
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