Page 14 - Pauza Magazine
P. 14
travel 15
Months
Later…
By Paul Bonwich, MAK 16
Well, I confirmed it over the holidays. While we On our second day in Santa Fe, my dad and I
MAK 16’s have been in Macedonia for the past went on a shopping trip to the big Albertsons store
15 months, America still managed to stay around. in town to buy groceries for our week-long stay. I
Some of you might have had your doubts, after was kind of like a kid in a candy store marveling at
all the attempted fiscal-cliff jumping and general all the choices – especially the fact that they had
loud, angry (sometimes apocalyptic) noise that about 20 different brands of peanut butter. Take
has emanated from our homeland lately. When
my plane finally set down on the tarmac at Dulles “it took a few days to
International Airport, I breathed a sigh of relief
that I was finally back in America, and wondered feel any sort of
what was in store for my short family vacation in
New Mexico. ‘normal’ after
It was a bit weird at first. It was hard to put my fin- completing the long
ger on it, granted it took a few days to feel any sort aerial journey to Santa
of ‘normal’ after completing the long aerial journey
to Santa Fe, New Mexico. In some ways it was Fe, New Mexico.”
strange not to be speaking Macedonian and not
having to be prepared to speak it. At first I found that, Vero. I think I went down the soft drink aisle
it tough to talk about my Peace Corps experience just to see if they had some new kind of Dr. Pep-
with my family, although I have been in contact per. If I needed a caffeine-boost (and I needed
with them throughout my service via Skype and many, thank you, jet lag), there was a convenient-
email. Nothing was especially new to share with ly located Starbucks right near the entrance with
them, but in person there was a lot more time for Peppermint Mochas, Gingerbread Lattes, and ev-
conversation than the weekly hour-long update erything awesome and Christmas-y. Regardless,
that I was used to giving. I would liken it to catch- going shopping had never been so enjoyable, yet
ing ‘sound bites’ versus a full interview. Several I know when I return to America for good, I’ll defi-
times I grew frustrated trying to explain something nitely hate it again. That is, unless I’m at a place
to my family that there was no way they’d really like Trader Joes or Whole Foods that has delight-
understand, at least not until they visit me here ful free samples.
in Macedonia. Eventually I just stopped trying so
hard to have everyone ‘get’ what Macedonia is Beyond wonderful grocery shopping experiences,
all about. I relaxed and drank lots of wine and hot spending Christmas in Santa Fe was a dream. It
chocolate. And egg nog. was my first time there, and I quickly fell for its laid-
14 – Pauza Magazine
14 – Pauza Magazine
