Over the holidays I made my first trip back to the States in two-and-a-half years. While I wasn't exactly returning home (I come from Maryland and Virginia), I did consider my trip a kind of return to my "mother culture". I was both excited and curious by how much might have changed, either in me or in the US, and I was not disappointed. 

My visit took place over the course of about nine days, during which I spent most of my time with my mother in Florida and on a brief trip to Charleston, South Carolina (though I'll save that for another post). Here are my overall impressions...