Homeward Bound

One week from today, I'll be home. Considering how many places I call home these days, perhaps I should be more precise: in a week, I'll be in Philadelphia.

It's a little hard to fathom. I've been in Europe since June 22. That's more than three months! Three countries (four, counting the day-trip to Strasbourg, France I took today), nine cities, and countless voyages later, I'm headed back to where I started--at least for a 3 week visit. Good thing Mom will be picking me up at the airport--otherwise I might not remember how to get home!

I have big plans for my short visit. I have to fill my tank to the brim with Philadelphia, and remind myself of all that I love about calling Philadelphia home, with a big "H".

Besides spending time with Mom and my East Coast friends (and, in at least one case, kiss the baby born while I was away!), most of my plans revolve around spending money, eating, and enjoying 100% English-language entertainment. Absence makes you realize what you really miss about a place. Sadly for me, it appears that other than the people, most of what I miss about Philadelphia is commerical. Please don't tell anyone how shallow I am.

Although I love cooking at home in Basel (and being cooked for, thank-you-very-much roommate extraordinare Rena Harms), I am very much looking forward to being in a place where it doesn't cost a small fortune to eat out. I intend to make the rounds to visit Marathon Grill for a big old American burger, Vietnam for spring rolls and thai iced tea, and Pietro's for their arugula and parmesan salad.

The eating, of course, will be very important because it will fortify me for the shopping. How wonderful to be in the Land of the Perpetual Sale again! I am already fingering my debit card in anticipation. While shopping in Europe, I spend all my mental energy converting Francs or Euros to Dollars, and thinking, "can I live without this, or do I have to suck it up and buy it even though it is insanely expensive?" In America, the math I'm doing in my head centers around figuring out how much I will end up paying for a pair of shoes if they are 40% off, with and additional 15% off for the 1-day sale, and of course the 20% off I always get for using my store credit card. Sigh. I love that kind of math.

I am planning to go to the movies at least 3 times during my 3 weeks in the US; if I can fit in more, I will. I've been here in Europe so long that I've lost touch with what there is to see at the cinema, I'm ashamed to say. Truth be told, it doesn't matter; give me a dark theater with stadium seating, seats with cup-holders, and a story that holds together at least as well as a Mozart opera, and I'm in. As far as home entertainment goes, I'm still pretty satisfied with my dear landlord's insanely complete cable TV subscription here in Basel...but I will be profiting from a little time with Marilyn Milian in America when I can.

As I'm spending my dollars on Walnut Street and chatting over coffee in Rittenhouse Square, though, I'm going to be missing my little Swiss family. Why can't all the good stuff in my life be in one place?

I love Basel, and I truly enjoy living here. Philadelphia may be my steady flame, but Basel is my exciting new crush. It won't be the same, waking up in Philly and not being greeted by Pete's whirling-dervish happy dog dance on the hall carpet. I'm going to miss the cheap wine, the strong coffee, the abundant Swiss chocolate....and mostly, my new friends.

Having people and stuff to love all over the world is pretty wonderful.

Some nights, when I wake up and can't remember which bed I'm in or who (if anyone) may be on the other side of the wall, I think that I might have officially traveled one mile too many...but when I wipe the sleep from my eyes and get my feet on the floor, I realize that I should never stop being grateful that I have so many wonderful places to enjoy and to call home.