The 2 month mark

I'm now into my 9th week here in Strasbourg and I'm already beginning to miss my experiences here. In another 2 more months, I will officially be done my exchange term here in France.

Having travelled for 2 months around India, I thought everything else would be a piece of cake. In some ways, its been true for me, but this experience is definitely also different from India.

I've had time to become settled here in Strasbourg, to have a hangout place, a familiar group of friends, and even a rhythm to my life here. Strasbourg has mentally become my home base in Europe - anytime I return from a trip to Paris or London or Brussles or Barcelona or Luxembourg, I'm always glad to be back 'home' - to the familiarity of Strasbourg. To recoup and re-energize for the next trip or adventure that awaits.

What I am most hesitant about, after going through all this is probably what anyone who's lived abroad and then gone back to their home country has experienced. Re-entry blues. Luckily for me, I have friends who've been through similar things so it'll be nice to be surrounded by that support network when I'm readjusting.

But its still something everyone goes through: To re-adjust back to an environment where everyone's life has been pretty much the same since you left them and where you've changed more than they have. To hold onto all those learnings, reflections and life lessons you've gained, when you are back in an environment that you're used to. To be just as spontaneous, curious and excited about your own city as you were about foreign places. To not sink too much into a routine that was similar to when you left. To shape your life based on the new insights you've gained. To continue to meet interesting people, have engaging conversations and challenge your worldview. To not lose the language skills you've picked up, or to not lose touch with the people you've met.

So let's see what happens, and until then, I'm going back to living every moment here, because it truly is surprising how times flies past when you're having fun! :)