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America Doesn’t Feel Like My Home Anymore
And that’s okay
“Welcome home.”
That’s normally the first thing they say to you at customs.
Those are the exact words I heard two hours ago as I re-entered the United States after 1.5 years of living abroad in the Philippines.
Eh, it doesn’t feel like I’m home. In fact, America doesn’t feel like my home at all.
It’s weird to have “reverse culture shock” towards the place you grew up in. I don’t recognize anything anymore.
To its credit, America is a great idea.
I see people of all shapes, sizes, colors, nationalities, and ethnicities here. I hear many different languages spoken throughout this country, and I’m proud that historically we’ve welcomed people from all parts of the world.
Despite all this, it still doesn’t feel like my home anymore. It’s weird to feel like a stranger in the place you grew up in.
How did this happen?
Has Trump had anything to do with my feelings?
Do I hate America?
Where do I go from here?
I’ll answer all of those questions in the next few paragraphs.
