A part of me is legitimately worried about coming home. I'm comfortable in Costa Rica now, I'm used to the country and all the things it does have (incredible fruit) and does not have (English language libraries). There's an awful little phenomenon known as reverse culture shock, that happens particularly to travelers returning from long trips. You've heard of culture shock, the disorientation you feel when you enter a foreign country. Reverse culture shock is the disorientation you feel when you return to your own country. It's particularly uncomfortable because not only do you feel disoriented, but you get a secondary discomfort when you recognize this feeling, that home has become strange to you.
Some things I will miss:
-incredible bananas. They just taste more banana-y here.
-unexpected wildlife, like the parrots that frequent the cities
-lots and lots of hummingbirds
-batidos, essentially smoothies with tropical fruit
-on that note, all the tropical fruit: guanabana, maracuya, cas, mamon chino, papaya, pineapple
-being able to get anywhere, cheaply, via bus
-owning exactly one pair of close-toed shoes
-yucca, expertly prepared by Rosa y Socorro
Some things I will not miss:
-lots and lots of rain
-the mosquitoes that come with lots and lots of rain
-perpetually damp sheets
-being tied to a bus schedule to get anywhere
-gallo pinto. For now, at least.
