Back in the US ...

Reverse culture shock - every heard of this? Well it happens when one returns to one's own culture from being in a different culture for some time. It happens when you are confronted with stores like WalMart, Albertson's, Safeway, etc and the many many choices of one thing that has to be made: It happens when you find yourself answering in a language other than your native language: It happens when you make or use a gesture that is not appropriate in your own culture but is the way it is done in your previous culture. And so the list goes on...

My husband and I returned to the US from our various assignments with Peace Corps. We postponed a decision on the next proffered assignment as we felt that we needed some time back home, in the US. What that means too is that we are now back living in our motorhome (home-on-wheels) as a full timer. It also means that I no longer have space for stashes of random supplies. I have to make choices as to what I will carry with us as we head out on the highways.

First stop, the storage unit for the RV and the supplies and suitcases that returned with us from overseas. I had to turn away, the choices were just too much. We made the RV roadworthy, we loaded what we thought we might need for a couple of weeks and headed out.

I have been lucky, I have been able to do some needlework in the downtime and on the road. Of course the first time that I reached for needed supplies and they weren't there, I cursed my lack of initiative in organizing better. I finished stitching the last letter of Christmas, the "S". Yea gods, I don't have a small enough sewing needle to go through the hole on the adornment. It is in my sewing kit, which is, where? Yes, that's right - the storage unit in a suitcase.

Since our arrival back, I started a stitch-along project from the online stitch group that I belong to called Halloween Treat. This was to be done during the March meeting, so I ordered the supplies online to be here when I arrived. You got it - not everything arrived, backordered. So I stitched here and there with what I had. Of course, I had forgotten that I had a stash of fibers in the motorhome and when I remembered and then checked, why, of course, I had 2 of the 4 missing threads. So now I can stitch more. Then I remember, oh yes, I need halloween buttons for the project. Nope, not here - you're right! in the storage unit.


And now for the piece de resistance!!!!!!! My new sewing machine arrived yesterday, where we are currently parked. Yup, all my supplies are in the storage unit, including basics like scissors, thread, and fabric/projects waiting for continued work, all started while out of the country. The question now is, where will I put it to sew? My inside table is a round 2 person table. hmmm should I perhaps buy a small table that will fold flat?

So what is one to do? Why, start a list of things to get from the storage unit next time around and DO NOT buy any new supplies. Just finish up what was found in the motorhome and continue with the needlework projects as well. Oh yes, I can also put all my stash of threads into an excel spreadsheet that I can then put on to my iPhone for carrying when I do get into the shopping mode. Heck have already made one stop at a needlework shop and bought a couple of skeins for an idea of a project and guess what, I already had one of them. By golly, I definitely need the excel file. And a specifically sized plastic box to house the quilting supplies - if the box is full, I first have to finish things up to get more. That is just the way it has to be - life on the road once more.