30 Things I Will Inevitably Have to Relearn When I Get Back to the USA

Things I will inevitably have to relearn when I get back to the USA:

1) How to turn a key the 'right' way - or put it in the right way as well.

(In this case, it's the reverse in Europe. The key is held 'upside down' and turned the opposite way to unlock or lock.)

2) To say 'excuse me' when passing people. You don't really do that here unless you directly run into someone.

(Not a hard science and is completely different from one area to another. A rule of thumb is just don't over-use the local version of 'excuse me.')

3) How to stand in line. Sometimes you do. Other times not so much. Mostly used when pressing into the terminals for the plane.

(Or in the case of Germany, be wary of all lines, as according to my local friend, they will stand in line even if they don't need to stand in line at all.)

4) What a truck looks like. They aren't here. Nope. None. Haven't seen one yet. Cars, vans, and mini vans yes. No trucks. No need.

(I saw a total of one. Only one.)

5) Not to stand near the edge of buildings when it rains - the rain does not flow under the streets in the USA. At least not where I'm at.

(In both Germany and Czechia, there were pipes that led off the side of buildings under the street. Even in cities in my local areas of Cali and Nevada didn't have this in the big cities.)

6) You can't walk everywhere. Seriously, why can't I walk everywhere. I want to walk everywhere.

(Poor public transport in my area of Cali and Nevada aside, things in the USA - even just in cities/towns - things are very spread out.)

7) Water is free, but food costs more. :(

(Food seemed reasonable or cheep. Could have just been the places I went though.)

8) You don't have to wear a mask everywhere in the US - not because of Covid, but because my lips here are getting dirty in Europe. Trains are dirty. Smoking and vaping is dirty. Tastes terrible. Yuck. Wear a mask here.

(I found my lips tasted strange for days straight when I didn't do this and it was not a good feeling.)

9) Our windows are inferior because they don't fold out.

10) Our windows are superior because they have screens. Pigeons won't come visiting with screens.

(While it didn't happen to me, a dormmate did get a 'guest' pigeon.)

11) The chocolate isn't as good and I don't think I can go back, so I can forget this step and just cry, it's fine.

(According to my friend, it's because chocolate in the US uses powdered milk.)

12) Ditto for bread.

(Don't ask me why. It just is. Maybe because it is fresh.)

13) Ditto for cheese. Seriously can't we just steal their recipes or something?

14) None of the buildings are old and we don't keep old buildings. :(

(Honestly felt so much like each building was full of character.)

15) That at least my roof wont look like it's partly made of plywood.

(My room in Prague was indeed one with a roof of plywood. It just wasn't finished on the interior. It was fine otherwise - didn't leak or anything - it just didn't look practical.)

16) I will not have to watch my feet at every step, because mini-steps will not be a thing.

(Jokes on me, when I came to my new house there was a tiny step. But don't tell past me.)

17) How to use a dryer.

(I miss the drying racks, honestly.)

18) I don't have anywhere nice to walk to.

(No castles. Sighs.)

19) Gotta drive. Whyyyyyyy? No subways? No trains? //cries//

(Bad public transport options are sadly a thing.)

20) Did I mention the bread? Really? The bread needs to be re-mentioned.

(Truly the local Dutch bakery does not compare.)

21) How many flags do I want? All of them. Got it.

(The US's flag culture seems odd coming back.)

22) What an RV/camper looks like.

(Were almost as rare as trucks.)

23) That I can't leave my windows open without getting eaten alive. What's the point of screens if I am still a bug-magnet?

(Truly there seemed to be less bugs? Even though there weren't screens on the windows?)

24) No hooded crows. :(

(Odd detail, I know, but can be applied to all local fauna. It's different and you don't notice it that much.)

25) The seagulls are huge. But both will steal your sandwich anyway.

26) The price of my house is somehow more than two of my (German) friend's house put together.

27) Then again, I live in a very pricey state.

28) You might dream of Europe for no explicable reason.

29) You will talk the ears off of all your loved ones about your time there. Very few of them will actually want to hear about what you have to say. Would suggest find someone as interested in traveling as you or someone who just got off the high of traveling to talk to them about your mutual desire to talk.

30) Home might feel very weird (particularly if you are like me and came back to a completely different house from the one you left).