On Coming Home.


My inner monologue, upon my return to Nashville:


Costco shopping carts are at least three times the size of Russian shopping carts.

I forgot how bad grocery store produce is.  Why is everything so big and waxy? Am I expected to find this appetizing? Where is the flavor? Where are the eagle powers? There are no nutrients!


HOLY COW WHY IS IT SO DANG HUMID?? 

Everything is so...sterile. And BIG. And clean.

Why does driving a car feel like steering a barge? Our car is massive!!

And so new and shiny!

...but also bulky and huge. 

And I have to buy gas now?

Sleeping in my own bed on memory foam feels like sleeping on a marshmallow.  A comfy, slightly cool marshmallow.

Finally! I'm not a bajillion time zones away from everyone else! And I can call someone without using Skype or FaceTime!


Oh yeah...bills. I have bills again.

And I have to go back to work.

And Tim is going to sign his life away to law school soon.


Where IS everyone? Why aren't there hordes of people on the streets like in Moscow? Why isn't everyone outside, walking around? This place is like a ghost town.



Our apartment is waaaaaay too big. I feel rich. Do I need this much space?




Only one person to a car. How wasteful.

Why is the A/C on full blast in every building? I'm freeeeeeezing!

YAYYYYY MY BRITA FILTER AND I CAN DRINK OUT OF THE TAP NOW AND IT TASTES LIKE REAL WATER

Our washing machine is a gigantic monster.  

But hey, at least it doesn't take over two hours to wash clothes. 

And I have a dryer.  I feel so privileged.

All this greenery and open space makes me feel like I live in the country. 

Coming back to the real world after such a dreamy summer is going to be tough.

I miss Russia already...

But man am I glad to be back. There's no place like home.