Existing in Suburbia
One thing I have realized after traveling for years, and that is getting over the culture shock. I’m not referring to the culture shock from other countries; I am talking about returning to the US. I have gotten so used to shopping in stores with a limited number of items, and believe it or not, that actually made things much simpler for me. I never needed to stay in a store for too long unless I was there to cool off in the air conditioning, but that was the only reason. Although I do love my home and all of its amenities, I still crave the adventurous life. I have seen what total suburban living has done to some people. They become permanent homebodies who do nothing more than scroll on their phones, just wasting their lives away. I do not want that life for me. I need culture in my life, as well as diversity. I like having friends from all over the world. We all learn so much from each other, and our different ways of life is actually what bonds us.
One thing that gets mentally exhausting when we return from a trip is seeing others in the routinely daily grind—meaning rushing off to work, driving recklessly and expressing impatience, etc. Many people have the “same crap different day” mentality, and it’s not only boringly predictable, but having an attitude like that can also fatigue others around them who, under normal circumstances, are usually extroverted. Now, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t consider my day job part of the daily grind. Sure, there are days It’s difficult to wake up, but once I’m up and moving, I’m fine, especially once I smell the heavenly aroma of my morning coffee. I believe in being happy at work and trying to make others smile as well. That’s a great way to avoid the humdrum way of life. What if I had that type of attitude while I was writing? I would lose the reader’s interest faster than a dragster driving 200 miles per hour on a quarter mile track. Trying to enjoy what you’re doing, and enjoying life in general is crucial if I expect to survive suburbia life.
I guess another way I manage to survive a suburban existence is by remaining true to myself, and not conforming to society’s standards of what I should be adhering to. Putting it simply, if I don’t let loose and act a like crazy now and then, I actually will go crazy–for real. Since I have an adventurous nature, I don’t think I need to worry too much about being some suburban Stepford clone.
The key to me maintaining my sanity and sense of balance after returning from a trip is to remember how alive I felt while traveling. I think about new things I’ve learned, new friends I met, and different cultures I got to experience. Knowing that I’m going back is what keeps me mentally intact. Existing in suburbia is all about accepting being home, not trying to change others, but still remain true to my travel roots.
Thank you for reading!
