The Home Stretch!

First of all, I went to Estonia and I’m going to write about that later because I have much more important things to say right now! Okay? Wonderful.

Secondly, Bozeman got a French café while I was gone. Who’s ready to go back to Bozeman?! ME!

And I’ll finally get to the point of this blog: reverse culture shock.

Yes, it exists, is common, and will probably suck. I very much experiences culture shock/homesickness and reverse culture shock is supposed to be work. I’ve been having to think more and more about it as my last few weeks in Finland are winding down.  Part of me can’t believe the end is finally here and another part of me is sad about leaving. No, I don’t want to settle down or move to Finland but I said good bye to Christoph last night and let me tell you, it was really sad. I didn’t expect to be emotional about myself or others leaving. Living in Finland has been such an eye opening experience and I can’t help but think “Now what?” Where is my life going from here?! How are people going to react to me? Where do I fit now?

I have the best family, friends and overall support system I could have ever asked for. The people I needed were always there for me. The one thing I’m most afraid of upon my return is the simple acquaintances I have in Bozeman through MSU, the Bay, anywhere else. They aren’t the ones who have seen me go through my rough process of cultural adjustment. I got annoyed of walking around Finland being an “outsider” and “special” and I’ll go back to Montana, talk to people I briefly know and I expect the experience to be the same thing because “it was so cool that I spent a year abroad.” Little do they know… haha! I don’t know how I’m going to handle constantly talking about Europe with people I don’t talk to regularly. It sounds weird and maybe kind of mean, but I want to share my experiences in a proactive way with people who support and respect me. Not somebody who thinks it’s simply cool what I did. Yes, it was absolutely cool but so many other things went into the uniqueness of it.  We’ll see how it goes…

For the people who have kept in touch with me! I think reverse culture shock should be fine with you all; everyone may actually get annoyed of me talking about Finland and Europe (at least that’s what I’m told anyways).  But it’s what has been going on in my life for the last year and I’m jumping back into everyone’s lives so feel free to talk about your life as much as you want to make balance. J

I have just over three weeks left in Finland! So surreal for me. I don’t really know how to feel right now. Excited, yes. Nervous, yes. There are so many unknown things right now and it’s all things I can’t control.

I guess before I worry about those things I’ll simply enjoy pain au chocolat en France and gelato in Italy… J