I went back to my old job after repatriating to say hi to my ex-boss and to drop off some Brasilian chocolate I had promised to bring back. Two weeks later, she emailed me asking if I was interested in going back to my old job. With a grim job market, I eagerly said yes. (Yes, bribery does work!)
It has been a little over 2 weeks since returning to the rat race. I'm still on the fence if I'm really enjoying what I'm doing. Working overseas is definitely more enjoyable. In the States, I have more bureaucracy to deal with. I thought I was able to run away from all of it when I left for Brasil. But in a matter of weeks, it all came back in a big hurry. It feels as if South America never really happened now except I now speak to my Brasilian boss only in Portuguese and I spend a ridiculous amount of time talking to my computer. (The computer part is the highlight of my day... I'm not crazy!)
I have no great epiphanies or even a decent conclusion to this post. All I got is a quote from Richard Iannelli, a clinical psychologist: Spontaneity is the quality of being able to do something just because you feel like it at the moment, of trusting your instincts, of taking yourself by surprise and snatching from the clutches of your well-organized routine a bit of unscheduled pleasure.
I think I need another trip to South America. =)
