Hello Again

Taxi is booked, bags are nearly packed, travel documents in order, and we are ready. to roll on. outtahere. This year, more than any other since moving abroad, we are just so eager to get home, to America (now necessarily referred to as North America). Which is a bit curious since life in Argentina is more similar to life the USA than life in India was, so one would think it's no big deal to live here and visit America from time to time. Same same but different -- right?? But, it has been one heck of a transition and we want - nay, need - to be in our house by the beach and need time to connect with family and friends. Yes, we chose to live far away but somehow we miscalculated when setting expectations of how smooth - maybe possibly even easy - the adjustment to life in Argentina would be after life in India. Recalibrating those expectations will be the work of summer vacation and for sure, year two will be better in many ways.

Aside from that work, summer will be devoted to reconnecting with our people - friends, family, and former colleagues. An article recently posted to The Culture Blend blog describes these people as "Lifers" which really hit the mark regarding how important these individuals are to us. Even though we made the choice to move away and live in far off places, it's the return - the "hello again" - that we look forward to so, so much.

Excerpted from “Hello Again” — The Unanticipated Bright Side of Perpetual Goodbyes
If you’re living far from home, you’ve noticed it. You started this whole thing with a massive (if not universal) round of “goodbyes.” Before you were culture shocked. Before you were homesick. Before you ever felt the sting of being a bumbling foreigner, “Goodbye” was the hurdle you had to jump.

“LIFERS”
They are people that we have done life with and connected with on some deep, deep, almost inexplicable level and forged a relationship that will absolutely, unquestionably be life long. They are friends that will always be friends regardless of petty little things like time or geography. Some are family members and we’ve never not known them, some we have grown up with and others we’ve actually spent a remarkably small amount of time with. They are all different but the single uniting feature is that, at some point, it has been hard...really hard...to say goodbye.

Lifers pick up where they left off
There is some kind of wormhole that Lifers step through when they say “hello again”. It’s like the elapsed time since they last said goodbye never happened...only it did because you’ve still got those memories and you’ve all grown older but it feels like all of that took place in moments and not years. Catching up on what you’ve missed and reminiscing about your past times together are like red and blue play-dough that get all smashed together in a bluey-red, swirly ball.
It’s weird. But wonderful.

The Lifer connection is not strained by poor communication
There is a security between Lifers that is nether contingent nor fragile. “Hello again’s” are not made awkward by guilt. There is no sense of “I thought we were good friends but you never...” There is only, “wow, it’s good to be back together.”
It’s unnatural. But refreshing.

Lifers laugh at things that are not funny to anyone else in the world
I mean gut laughing. The kind that hurts your ears. Over simple, ridiculous things. Shared moments that you think are hysterical but the entire population of the universe (with the sole exception of your Lifers) would not.
It makes no sense. But man it’s funny.

Lifers repeat themselves
When Lifers say “hello again” we have a limited amount of time and the clock starts ticking from the first hug. We also have a limited number of stories to remember because our times together are always short and sweet. So we choose our favorites and we relive them...the exact same stories we relived the last time we saw each other and the same stories that will relive again...every single time.
It’s redundant. But it never gets old.

Lifers are worth investment
If your Lifers are like ours they are everywhere — literally spread out across the globe. Opportunities for reconnection are rare. So when they come...pounce on them. Every Hello Again costs time and it costs money but the return on that investment is impossible to put a tag on.
It’s expensive. But so very worth it.

We are ready to travel through the wormhole, and beyond excited for many, many Hello Again's this summer. And for the musically inclined, this Neil Diamond "Hello Again" treasure to close the blog this school year: