What a wildly fun week its been! We made our way back to the States -shout out to our good friends Chad and Claire for getting married, we're so thrilled for those two! Since we returned after being abroad for a month it felt like we'd just been on vacation, a laborious one that is. After stepping out of the airport we looked at each other instantly thinking the same thing, it is HUMID in Arkansas! The climate change was a lot more noticeable coming back. Between the dry air and the hard water in Switzerland, our skin embraced the extra moisture.
We're hesitant to say all-American, but we did have a solid American experience while back. We successfully ate four cheeseburgers for starters. We don't mind that we kind of went all out on our food choices for the week. Stopping by our favorite Thai joint in Fayetteville, Thep Thai, was high on our list to visit. Mexican and Thai restaurants aren't as prevalent in Switzerland so of course we put this on our to-dos. We also indulged in some buffalo wings, complete with mac and cheese, beer, and a healthy serving of ranch. It's probably safe to say the pounds we lost over the month have been cancelled out after this week of binge eating, but who cares!
We spent a good chunk of time at the lake with friends and their pups. There's something about the smell of the lake on your skin, citronella candles, the smokiness of the grill.. our senses were in heaven. One thing we've missed is our game nights so it was nice to incorporate that in our visit as well!
We received the keys to our new place the day before we left to go back to the States. Going back was not only an opportunity to see everyone but also a good time to pick up some things we needed to complete our apartment that were double the cost in Switzerland. Not only are items more expensive, they are hard to find. Typing "where to buy.." into Google is the norm these days. One thing we miss (and don't) is a one stop shop. We miss the idea of being able to walk into a store, knowing we can buy not only lunch, but white tees, cough drops, and curtains all in one go. Despite the inconvenience, we do appreciate that shopping here forces you to shop with a purpose. This cuts down on the spontaneous and perhaps unnecessary purchases which is good right?
One thing that is very apparent: we are lucky as heck to have the people we do in our lives. Our amazing friends Cable and Emily who so graciously hosted us during the visit home. Both of our parents who made the 10 and 16 hour round trips to see us. Andrew loved seeing all of his co-workers while back. And of course, all those crazy dancin' fools we ran into while at Chad and Claire's wedding. The list of wonderful people in our lives is something we sure feel through and through, and it truly makes us feel blessed.
From getting low to Lil Jon and eating our weight in burgers to seeing so many of our closest friends at such a beautiful wedding, we had the best time. Now time to make Switzerland feel less like a vacation and more like a permanent stay!