after an unexpectedly brief stay, and for very personal reasons that encompass heavy life realizations and my well-being, i am flying home today to america
it wasn’t the culture shock, it was not the neighborhood or the school, the jetlag nor was it the fact that i was on the opposite side of the world. ultimately these kind of experiences are up to yourself, and if you are personally ready for said experiences. it sounds obvious, like some corny school pamphlet or something your parents would say out of good faith but a blind eye. however i was not ready for this, but that does not by any means make this entire complicated ordeal meaningless
i won’t be returning to america with a new perspective on the world, because a) i certainly did not spend enough time to justify any sort of worldly knowledge b) the perspective i had didn’t need much adjusting to begin with. yet, i will be returning with a new outlook on myself. i gained something wholly invaluable and intangible to myself in the short time i was here. something a person can only experience on their own, far, far away from the comfort of home. again, “what a surprise”, but the feelings are the real deal
i’m psyched to be home and this decision is all my own, devoid of any guilt or paranoia or misguidance. i’m writing this not only for myself, but for anyone interested like i promised in the beginning of this. to everyone who knows me, this may seem uncharacteristic for me to share these sentiments so openly and it certainly is, but it feels like the right thing to do
with all the love from the other side of the world,
nicholas c. shapiro
