Finding People From Home

I met another American from Wisconsin while staying in the hostel in Hobart. It’s really nice to meet other people from the States, I understand more now (on a personal/experience level) why the international students at school kind of formed pods with each other - it’s having home with you when you’re so far away. It kind of re-connects you and brings you back to the comfort of your own. You’re not the only “foreigner,” it makes you feel at home.

Although, the German girl in New Zealand said there were too many Germans and she wanted to get away from them all. I heard a similar feeling from someone else, but I can’t remember who. I suppose when the people from your home country are far and few between, it’s different.

I definitely noticed feelings of “isolation” when arriving in Italy and waiting in the line for customs. All around me, people held their passports in their hands and I glanced around now and then to see if I could spot another navy blue book, and I might have seen one, but in that long, long line of people, I felt to be the only one from home. “Am I really the only person from the States in this line? Italy is such a popular place to visit; surly I can’t be the only one…?” I thought to myself, but I moved on through the line and took the opportunity to enjoy being somewhere new and embrace being the foreigner, and seeing things from the other side.