There and Back Again
The trip to Hungary was good- really good, in fact. Unfortunately, after that first night the internet situation was reduced to sporadic access to email, and general browsing/loafing around the broader interweb was fairly restricted.
It was great to see some old friends again, and make new ones. You’re probably thinking Wow, look at Alexis getting all social on us. I had a lot of fun, though.
Beyond enjoying the people and helping out with the conference, it was a significant time for me on a personal level. It felt so natural to be back in Eastern Europe – in a familiar location, with familiar faces. There was a sense of closure in returning to what was (essentially) my life, after gaining a bit of distance over the past 5 months, in order to more deliberately say goodbye.
Of course, there were a lot of tossing and turning emotions involved, too. I was letting go, again, of things already gone. Being there and feeling so comfortable was like remembering who I was after a long time sleeping. And it was a time of reconciling who I was with who I am and remembering that I am one person, and that the dimension of time cannot be escaped or abandoned. I am not returning to the past, nor do I want to. It's just that with all of the big changes and transitions that have dominated my time in Seattle so far, I haven’t quite yet achieved a sense of belonging, of presence, of home. But I think I’m finally ready, now. Ready to set my feet firmly on the path and start breathing the air like a native.
It was great to see some old friends again, and make new ones. You’re probably thinking Wow, look at Alexis getting all social on us. I had a lot of fun, though.
Beyond enjoying the people and helping out with the conference, it was a significant time for me on a personal level. It felt so natural to be back in Eastern Europe – in a familiar location, with familiar faces. There was a sense of closure in returning to what was (essentially) my life, after gaining a bit of distance over the past 5 months, in order to more deliberately say goodbye.
Of course, there were a lot of tossing and turning emotions involved, too. I was letting go, again, of things already gone. Being there and feeling so comfortable was like remembering who I was after a long time sleeping. And it was a time of reconciling who I was with who I am and remembering that I am one person, and that the dimension of time cannot be escaped or abandoned. I am not returning to the past, nor do I want to. It's just that with all of the big changes and transitions that have dominated my time in Seattle so far, I haven’t quite yet achieved a sense of belonging, of presence, of home. But I think I’m finally ready, now. Ready to set my feet firmly on the path and start breathing the air like a native.
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