The Travel Chica

Live Simple. Consume Less. Experience More.

First Week in Ohio

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It has been 9 months since I left Columbus, Ohio to start my travel sabbatical in Quito, Ecuador.

When I see one of my friends, the first question is:

What does it feel like to be home?

My answer:

It does not feel any different.

And that makes me happy.

I can leave my family and friends and the comforts of home for 9 months, and …

Life goes on. For all of us.

I went off and did my thing.  Everyone here went on with their lives, raising their children, buying homes, getting new jobs, and doing the things they love.

And I can come back and step right back into their lives as if I never left.

Comforts of Home

Here are some of the “comforts of home” I enjoyed my first week back in Ohio.

Paper Products

Toilet paper is awesome in the US!

Apparently, my friends and family do not skimp when it comes to quality.
Photo of toilet paper

Napkins are Available

Restaurants (even fast food) provide napkins…. as many as you need. And they don’t feel like tissue paper.  They actually can be used to wipe grease of your hands and even clean up spills.

First Foods

The first thing I ate was a huge salad. After airplane food, I just wanted something fresh and healthy.

You may remember that I wrote a whole post about how much I missed peanut butter in Buenos Aires.  Luckily, my friends had a huge jar of Smuckers natural creamy peanut butter.

Photo of peanut butter

I enjoyed some delicious sushi.

My friend Amie told me she would take me out anywhere I wanted.  Real sushi is one thing I had not eaten since I started my travels.

Photo of sushi platter

Photo of eel

Kit Kat

I don’t eat much candy, but these are one of my favorites.  (In case you are wondering, Nestle’s Crunch bars are next on the list).

Jersey Mikes Club Sub

When people ask me what is “traditional American food,” I usually cannot think of anything.  But this may be the traditional American lunch.

Photo of Jersey Mikes sub
My favorite quick lunch stop when I used to work out in the 'burbs.
I drank a real beer.

Before I get into the really good stuff, I started simple with one of my stand-bys.

Photo of Harp beer

First Activities

Picking up my bike was a priority.

I got it my first full day back in Columbus, and I got in two long rides on the Olentangy Trail my first week.  It was such a good feeling.  I look forward to more frequent and longer rides.

I “refreshed” my wardrobe.

Having a new wardrobe was unexpectedly awesome.  I went to my storage unit and went crazy packing a large suitcase with entirely too many clothes and pairs of high heels.

After living 9 months out of a backpack, I deserve some variety and some fashion.

The funny thing is I don’t really have that many clothes because I gave away most of them when I left.  But after wearing the same 5 shirts and 3 pairs of pants every day, I felt like I had the wardrobe of a Hollywood pop star.

Grilling

That’s what we Americans do in the Summer.  And my brother-in-law is pretty darn good at grilling steaks.  Yes, the quality of the steak was great in Argentina, but my brother-in-law’s special seasoning cannot be matched.

And the fresh corn, green beans, and tomatoes from the garden just steps away from the house…. delicious!

Photo of steak and potatoes

Surprising the Family

The only family members that knew I was coming home are my mom, my dad, and my sister.  My family reunion was scheduled for my first weekend back in Ohio, so I had the opportunity to surprise the rest of my family.

My grandma’s reaction was pretty great.  I wish someone had taken a photo to capture the surprised look on her face.

The family reunion at Long’s Retreat is an annual tradition that has been going on for 30 years, and I like to think it is all because of me.  My aunt was on her way to visit me in the hospital right after I was born, and she stopped to make that first reservation.

She must have been so overjoyed about my birth that she wanted to bring together the whole family to see me every year.

Guess who won the prize for traveling the furthest to attend?

Photo of me at the family reunion
Eating fresh watermelon at the family reunion.

After coming home after a long trip, what did you enjoy most your first week home?



Comments

  1. I think you value things more when you can’t get them for a while. It sounds stupid but the thing I enjoy most when I go back to Germany is the bread. I have travelled the world and in my opinion Germans make the best bread. But I also loved to just go grocery shopping and get nearly everything I wanted. I’m glad you are having a great time at home! Enjoy it and I look forward to your new adventures!
    Sebastian recently posted..Five Things To Do In Bergen

  2. Glad and interesting to hear you’re stepping into the lives of people you care about without missing a beat.

    One of my favourite comforts is grabbing a 6-pack of Moosehead beer and watching any basketball or hockey playoff game with whoever is down.

    Stupid question but why do you have “copyrighted image” on most of your photos, yo?
    Tyler @ roundtheworldtravelchallenge.com recently posted..Worse Comes Before Better

  8. That is so funny stephanie, napkins and toilet paper were one of the first things we appreciated when coming home as well. Hehe. Isn’t it fantastic!!! :)

  10. ¡Contagiosa tu alegría! Me encantó leer tus aventuras en Buenos Aires, fuiste una gran cronista. ¡A disfrutar el hogar y la familia y a volver nuevamente a BA! ¡Lo mejor del mundo para vos y un abrazo de osa!

  12. Now that I go back and forth so much I’m not even sure where my home is and where I feel more comfortable. I will say that what you mentioned about people having babies and getting married and life going on without you is both awesome and sad at the same time. No matter where you are, you’re missing something!
    Kyle recently posted..Middle Class in Chile, Student Protests and More

  13. That would be the best welcome home present any Grandma could have! So glad that you got to go home and see all of your family! There is always something about home, and I wonder what I will feel like while I travel around showing my boys where I used to grow up!
    The Beer is different to Australia! Same with the peanut butter. – we have peanut butter but its not that brand!
    I reckon that I would miss home cooked food if I had spent 9 months Back packing :)
    That watermelon looked good!
    Cheers
    Lisa

  14. When I lived in Vietnam, I loved going home and eating Australian fruit. Vietnamese people like to eat their fruit underipe (and so sour) and dipped in chilli salt. Blerch.
    Now we’re in Singapore, I am so hanging out for a properly ripe and tasty tomato.
    And we might be going home for Christmas! Yay — that’s a good time for stone fruit and tomatoes!
    Barbara – The Dropout Diaries recently posted..Meet The Dropouts – Locationless Jason Batansky

  17. Hehe, every time when I am back in US after a trip, a huge salad is a must. You cannot get fresh and large bowl of salad in Asia with so many different veggies in it. Oh, and yes, I agree, toilet paper and napkin are so much better at home x_X (I started bring a roll of toilet paper when I am traveling XD).

    Have fun with your family and stuff yourself up with the yummy snacks we have in USA =DD
    Annie – FootTracker recently posted..Japan (3) Akihabara, Tokyo ~ Street Scene Photos

  18. That is too bad there’s not a photo of your grandmother’s surprised look! Oh well, the important thing is that you got to share that moment. When I’ve been away from home for a while, one of the first things I do is eat my favorite pizza!
    Cathy Sweeney recently posted..From Humble to Hearst

  19. We’re sort of peculiar when it comes to food, so we love going home and having our favorite items and brands. Silk soymilk, graham crackers and peanut butter, Brown Cow maple yogurt, kefir, whole wheat tortillas, oat nut bread…. we’re so spoiled in the U.S.!

    Here in Malta we can barely find groceries (just those tiny markets w/ little aside from alcohol), so we’re eating sourdough bread w/ peanut butter for every meal we make ourselves. Yummmm…. =P
    Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Photo Essay: London

  22. So…..I have to ask. Coming from a girl that can’t go a day without a blowdryer or flatiron….do you/or did you see your hairstylist while in town?

    • I do not color my hair, but I was craving a really good cut back to my shorter style. I did get my hair cut in Buenos Aires twice but it wasn’t the best and I was afraid to go too short. I almost had a meltdown when I found out the hairstylist I have been going to for over 10 years is no longer cutting hair.

      Luckily, my sister’s mom (that sounds weird – same dad/ dif mom) owns a salon and gave me a great cut.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..5 Must Do Things in Columbus, Ohio

  26. Nice pic, Mrs. Whipple. It was good seeing you during your brief stint in town. Let me know if you need me to airmail you some peanut butter, sweet potato fries, or toilet paper!

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