Well, I'm back (in the UK, that is) which leaves me wondering whether I can really keep on calling this blog 'An Engländerin Abroad' when I'm back on home turf.
After carrying 55 kilos (no, I didn't know I had that much until I arrived at the airport...) on the train to Hannover airport in what at least felt like 30 degree heat, and getting back extra late because our flight was delayed, I felt a bit spaced out when I arrived home on Tuesday evening. It was weird, to say the least, to hear english spoken with a mancunian accent from the air hostesses. Still, it was sort of like warm, homely honey to my ears, without the stickiness.
I'd booked in 40 kilos for my flight, naively believing that I couldn't possibly have more than that after sending 3 parcles back home already. So on learning that I'd have to pay 300 euros for my extra weight I decided to pour my life for the last 9 months out on the floor of Hannover airport. You'll be pleased to read that most of the weight consisted of books...maybe it is time to get a kindle after all. Thankfully I didn't have to throw any of them away as the friend I was travelling with had space in his hand luggage. Clothes and a pair of shoes that I probably won't miss got the bin though as well as some rather useful teaching materials. in the end I had 43 kilos so thae nice lady at the check-in desk, probably sympathising with my haggard, sweaty state, let me off with the few extra kilos. Oh well, it made me realise once more how my life is not reliant on material possessions. How foolish even to think that anything we possess is ours to own by right.
So, 12 kilos lighter my friend and I boarded the tiny flybe plane and jetted off to Manchester. When my parents met us at the airport it felt like I'd only just said goodbye to them. Strange, that feeling that nothing remarkable has changed.
My Mum cried. I'm not sure how I didn't either. My Dad was thrilled. We all trotted off to the car with something like 70 kilos in tow and I with an odd feeling of never actually having been away.
Both my friend and I remarked that it seemed as if we'd stepped out of one world and into another, and we immediately noticed the differences in appearance to what we'd been used to in Göttingen. No, I don't believe Germany is so different to Britain. It's hard to express in some ways, but it just has a different feel, different smells, tastes, houses, fashion, language of course (though with all the anglicisms in German I reckon the Germans practically speak English at least 20 % of the time!!) It'll be even weirder visiting friends at university this weekend, some of whom I haven't seen for a year and being known as 'Mike's sister' or 'oh that Vicky Parsons we told you about'...I'm sure it'll be amusing to meet people who seem to know who I am because they know my brother and my friends, without me having the slightest idea who they are! I suppose I'd better get used to it.
