coming home

there's a song by Diddy called Coming Home, and it says "Tell the world that I'm coming home." This is often how I feel after a trip.

Sometimes, I have been in the position when I thought I would not be able or allowed to come home as soon as I thought (thank you very much Milan insane airports, Vienna snowstorm, and various other crazy people/airlines). This is maybe the only thing that truly upsets me overseas - traffic jams, belligerent grantees, supercilious hotel attendants, horrible food, riots - none of this upsets me like being told I can't go home.

I love walking through the customs line at Dulles, and being told 'Welcome Home' by the Customs & Border Patrol officials. They don't know how much it means to me - but it's wonderful. The land of basketball, burgers, and beer. The birthplace of reality t.v. and the iPhone.

It always makes me chuckle - the things that people miss from home. For me, I want chipotle and a pedicure. One friend wanted to get to a concert STAT, and another said she wanted an eyebrow wax. My boss used to say that she would get smothered in hugs from her kids when she got home - that was her end goal. My favorite (other than that burrito I mentioned) is taking a shower with all my own shampoos & conditioners. That probably sounds like a very small thing - but I bet you would be surprised at the things you miss most from home.