On July 15, we had our last lunch in
Peru and then our entourage escorted us to the Arequipa airport.
The flight to San Francisco was
painless (thank you I-Pad) but it was hard to come home and not have a place to
live (our house was still being rented out). Fortunately we were welcomed
by Aileen's brother and Jeff's sister and stayed with their families for a few
days. It was wonderful being reunited with loved-ones.
After a quick week in the Bay Area
we left for NJ where we spent some time with Aileen's parents and younger
brother. We also visited NYC a few times.
From NJ we traveled to SC to attend
Jeff's niece's Bat Mitzvah.
Finally, we returned to our home in
SF and began the process of moving back in (which will take at least 6
months!). We also visited with friends and traveled to some of our
favorite Northern California locations.
Soon after our return we learned
that Emma and Hannah would be attending the same Spanish Immersion elementary
school (Fairmount). The first week went extraordinarily well and we continue
to be amazed at how gracefully Emma and Hannah can adjust to new situations.
Aileen got a job at another nearby
elementary school and started work a few days after the girls started
school. Jeff is still doing consulting and sort of looking for work.
We now begin the long process of
re-adjusting to life in the USA. Some of this involves simple things like
finding the best bike route to school, signing up for lessons (gymnastics,
volleyball, guitar, and violin), and of course the never-ending process of
unpacking and replenishing the house. It is much more complicated and
demanding than it sounds. We have been so busy we have barely had the
chance to see friends and family.
Though the physical aspects of
returning to the USA have been demanding, the emotional aspects have been even
more so. For the adults that is. Where along the way to we lose the
incredible resilience that young people have? Anyhow, for Aileen and Jeff, simple
interactions such as shopping, going to a restaurant, and dealing with a 4-way
stop sign seem at times very challenging. Well, two years was a long time
to be away and we imagine it will take some time to adjust. Despite the
challenges, we are enjoying being around loved-ones. We also enjoy our
beds, clean tap water, burritos, our bicycles, the beauty of Northern
California. etc. We do not have the focus, energy or perspective to share
any insights into the meaning of our family sabbatical....perhaps another day.
One final note… Jeff has decided to take this
opportunity (i.e., being unemployed) to hike part of the Pacific Crest
Trail. He has hiked most of the California and Oregon sections and will
be doing about 450 miles of the Washington section starting September 5.
