So today is the beginning of my final full month in America.
That blows my mind.
Without doubt I am sad my time here is coming to an end so soon – its been a great honour to be able to live here and meet so many amazing people – but by the same token, I’m genuinely excited to be moving back to my home country after 24 years away.
That said, part of the disappointment of leaving is I know I got to see and experience so little.
Sure, I’ve been to a bunch of places in my time here, but when you travel mainly for work, you never really get to get a feel for a place.
Yes, I have continued to do what I’ve always done in new cities [the follow up to that link can be read here] but that’s nothing like immersing yourself in the cultural underbelly of a place.
And that’s one of the main reasons I’m disappointed, because while America is a pretty fucked up right now and a lot of the industry here prefers easy over great, it is still an amazing country that I would have loved to have understood and experienced more of.
People, portions and lifestyle aside, there will be some things I’ll always take with me.
The realisation America’s version of a ‘compact car’ is a European 4×4.
The obsession people all have with ranch dressing.
The countries fascination with holidays and how they go all out for them.
The obsessive order people follow to get off planes.
The fact people say and write “Y’all”.
That checks/cheques are still a thing.
No one can talk about race, abortion, wealth, guns, racism. Ever.
That people are not at all comfortable with honesty and truth.
The hierarchy of corporate structures and how they work and are adopted.
The utter brilliance of The Cheesecake Factory.
Oh there are so many things … things I will take with me forever that will make me smile and frown for the rest of my days … but overall America has been very good to me and my family and for that, I will always be grateful.
Sure, the feelings are different to when I left China, but thanks to some of the people, experiences and work I was able to be a part of, I can leave feeling a better person than when I arrived, which – when you think about it – is the best way to leave anywhere.
I just hope some people will feel the same way.
At least the ones who now will always matter to me.
[Though I have a month to try and change that for them, ha]