It’s been a while since I gave a Germany update.

I’ve had a week and a weekend to get back into the swing of things, and of course I’ve been busy listening in on conversations I don’t understand, sneaking pictures of ironic things, and trying to get back into the way of life here.

A few observations:

• While fall might be slowly creeping in, they don’t do pumpkin spice here. Or pumpkin anything really. So I smuggled some PS back in my suitcase and I can’t wait to make pumpkin bread again and confuse the heck out of them.
• The weather when I got back was really nice: sunny, warm, definitely an Indian summer. One day in particular, there was 0% chance of rain (I know because this is the season when I obsessively check my weather app every hour). I had biked to work. And then it started pouring. There was not a cloud in the sky.
• I’m back in the land where I pass people on the street and they either look away or have no expression on their face at all. It takes some getting used to, just like it did when I was in CA and SC, where people strike up conversations over things like ball point pens (true story).
• I finally cleaned my apartment (after I don’t even know how long). I spent all day Sunday, and I did a great job. Until I realized I had been using carpet cleaner the whole time (it’s all German to me).
• Festival season is coming to a close, but Oktoberfest is in full swing. And that means it’s only a matter of time before the Christmas markets start. It’s all just so predictable.

While I do miss home, the strangest thing happened over this last visit. I found myself getting annoyed at America. All the restaurants, all the driving, the annoying and vapid conversations I overheard, the excess.

But the absence of those things is exactly what annoys me over here (well maybe not the annoying conversation part, but I realized I probably do listen to a lot of shallow small talk and I’m just unaware).

It’s a weird feeling–almost like an outsider at home (wherever that may be).