Facebook keeps reminding us that, around this time last year, we were bombing around New Zealand in a camper van. Back then, our only worries were planning our next trek, finding some decent beer, and dodging the notoriously fickle New Zealand weather. But today, instead of driving down to Milford Sound, we're loading up our (heavily used) Prius and beginning the long drive north, from Brook's father's house in Naples, Florida, to our new abode outside Boston.
The past four months have been strange. There are a lot of things about America that are unsettling after a year abroad. Things like manicured suburbs, mega stores, and political debates that seem based more on a 19th century mentality of manifest destiny than 21st century science and compassion. Strange too is contemplating work, careers, and finances after our time away. The pressure to succeed is intense and, although much of that pressure is self-created, a lot of it is an artifact of our education, expectations, and societal ideals of the good life. At the same time, it's not always clear what success means or how to find it. The wealth gap here is just staggering and there's a nagging sense that if you're not getting ahead, you're slipping behind. There are many days when we're both sorely tempted to move to Chile and buy a hostel.
But instead, we're moving back to Somerville, near our good friends and family. Erin starts a great job in May, at a well-respected research firm in Cambridge. Brook is still casting about for the right position and (let's be honest) is getting a little frustrated with the options in the Boston area. We'll see how this all shapes up over the next few months, as we move into our new apartment and the reality of settled life hits us. Right now, we're hoping to re-establish our careers (which we both enjoy), spend time hiking in the Whites, and surf some freezing waves in Maine. We're also pretty psyched to have our own bed again.
In the meantime: road trip!
