Freedom!

I'm home, cheesburgers, steak, and freedom of expression abound. Did you know it is illegal to give a Nazi salute in Holland? I have never and likely will never execute such a gesture but should be able to if I so desire. In New York I have the right to give a Nazi salute and then get my ass handed to me by the two hundred people who saw it. It is good to be home.

I noticed the difference immediately. At JFK International Airport I saw black people, Spanish people, fat people wearing dirty sweatpants, and Mexicans. It was amazing. At least five languages were heard within the first ten minutes, none of them Dutch. What I underestimated was the reverse culture shock. New York is, well, New York. It's the Big Apple, the streets are slammed at 2:30 in the afternoon, tourists and locals vying for position and relevance in the flow of traffic. I didn't notice it coming from Jacksonville to New York but Gotham is a dimension away from The Hague. The contrast is instructive. It highlights the "good" and the "bad", for lack of better words. I will miss bike travel, the people I met, the bar culture, and the pace of life. I will not miss the food, the Dutch, or the weather.

This is where I should probably talk about how much fun I had and what an incredible experience it was, etc. But, I think that is universally understood. You've read the blog. You know how much fun I had in Holland and throughout Europe. No, this is not some kind of farewell post. I am going to continue the blog if only for my own therapy and vanity. Thank you all for reading. Your comments helped me combat homesickness and keep my focus on the big picture.

Cheers.