Postcards
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Inane Afterthought Post
I’ve been back in the US of A for three months.
It’s different than I left it.
I’m different than I left it.
I still think about my time in Manchester every day. It continues to blow my mind that I spent that much time living in a foreign country. Er, a foreign country that eventually became a not-so-foreign country.
It’s good to be back where I am. I appreciate things that I once took for granted -things as simple as grocery shopping, which I did in Manchester, but it’s just different here.
But, I also miss things about Manchester, namely the people, Vinelife Church Manchester, walking everywhere and SAINSBURY’S GINGER ALE. I’m really craving that spicy goodness right now, actually. I also miss grocery shopping there, too. I know. I know it’s strange that I said that it’s good to be back and grocery shop in the familiarity of Kroger, Harris Teeter, and Walmart, but I still miss the sheer British experience of getting groceries at Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and ASDA.
I know how trivial the things that I just listed are, but the things I experienced in Manchester, big or small, will affect me for the rest of my life, because life just works in that cumulative fashion.
I praise God for the opportunity, and for working on me both there and here.
Yep.
This’ll probably be my last post on this particular Tumblr blog, but I’m back at my blogspot - http://haungrant.blogspot.com/
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An Ending, and a Beginning
It’s my last night here, and my flat is just as raucous as it was on the first night. That’s what happens when Manchester United plays Barcelona, and there are [what sounds like] 70 Spaniards in the next room.
My time in Manchester has not been anything like I imagined it would be. Honestly, if I were still holding onto my original expectations, I would feel fairly let down.
However, when I compare what I thought I wanted to what I got instead, I can’t say that I would ask for a different experience.
I didn’t expect to learn so much about myself, grow so much personally, and build so many relationships. I would not trade these things for more travel, a better academic experience, or creature comforts.
Despite how short and transitory this period in my life has been, Manchester has become a home of sorts. This experience will remain a part of me for however long God gives me, whether that be one more hour, or 67 more years.
Bolivarian, Birminghamian, Nashvillian, Mancunian. What’s next? ;)
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One Week
…is all that remains of my time here in the Manch’.
I’ve already begun to say goodbyes.
It’s weird to bid adieu to people that you know you probably won’t ever see again.
There are so many people that I wish I had could have gotten to know, so many people I wish I could have gotten to know better, and so many people I wish I could have gotten to hang out with more.
Hindsight’s 20/20.
However, I am thankful for the time I did have with the people here, no matter short or long.
And that’s that.
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Sufjan Stevens
I just returned from seeing Sufjan Stevens in concert for the first time. It was awesome! In addition to “awesome,” I will describe it as “kooky, chaotic, crazy, intense, futuristic, flashy, kaleidoscopic, and mind-blowing.”
I’ll share a few pictures to validate that description.
Taken by my Swiss friend with whom I went:
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