It has been a little over a week since I have returned home from my time in Austria with the IFYE program. I am happy to be home. Being home has both its return of lifestyle patterns and new changes to adjust to. And just like a physical place being the same and different at the same time, I am also finding these things in myself. In my time this week adjusting back to everything, I have had the opportunity to meet with some friends and spend time with close family. Our reunions over a meal or coffee are things that we have done in the past, but this time they felt a little different. I would often hear "Your trip looked amazing!" or get asked "How was it?", but found it difficult to reply to these. I would say "yeah it was fun" or a short "It was good". Talking with other IFYE's (others on the same program as me), while abroad or even after returning home about our experiences was so easy because we both knew we would be understood. Talking to someone that's new to the IFYE concept was a little more challenging. I wanted to get right to the point of my stories but also knew that I would need to explain some background. So that is my intention in writing this.
Austria states I've visited through IFYE
"Your trip looked amazing!"
"How was is?"