Back in America! (For a week or two)

We jumped on a plane and flawlessly made it back to the states. It's fascinating to me that most land and water looks about the same from 30,000 feet, but when you get out and walk it at ground level, it's quite different. The colors, the smells, the sounds, the structure, and certainly the culture. There are probably metaphors to corporate working and life in there. 

Both sets of our parents greeted us at the airport, such a warm feeling. It's not easy to get in and out of an airport, let alone the tough timing/waiting. The extra effort is generous and appreciated by all!

The trip was full of great meals and fantastic conversation. It took 3-5 nights before I was able to "get on east coast time" and sleep through the night.

I think it's worth noting how good the music is in the United States, or maybe I should say how available and broad the music seems to be. I've struggled a bit to find music in the UK, I know it's there (especially performed live in towns), but I haven't quite found the Sirius XM equivalent yet. I think there's something to be said about how much the U.S. seems to invest in music. Trying many, many bands; trying many, many songs. Some garner huge followings, some maybe have small niches, but all that iteration and attempt must be good, right?

Let's talk about driving. Stop lights look different to me now. What I see now is tremendous cost, electricity and infrastructure. That's different from what I saw before. The design doesn't seem safe or effective, and it appears to invade the environment. I realize what a big change it would be to try a different design,  but wow, maybe it can be discussed, if it isn't already? I bet there's a metaphor to org culture change in there somewhere. I notice how quickly I start driving aggressively - trying to beat lights, keeping up with the car in front of me, passing in all lanes, etc. Fascinating. 

It's now a slightly odd feeling to hear most everyone have a similar accent to yourself. It sounds different. I notice nuances in words. I sound different to myself.

Strange, I notice rooms bounded by drywall feel or sound different than rooms surrounded by plaster walls. I suppose the room dimensions are different as well, but now I do wonder (and somewhat notice) which rooms and materials tend to spark conversation. 

It's not surprising that places look different. That said, it's not just that I missed entire construction projects, I notice more flowers, water, trees, and space than I previously noticed. Even if they had not changed. Things change, right, but I suppose our lenses for seeing them change as well. At first, I was disappointed in myself because I was noticing problems as opposed to successes. I found myself noting the negative as opposed to the positive. I woke up one morning and simply asked myself "what's nice, what's going well". It was reassuring to easily keep that mental model for the rest of the trip. There are so  many positives to see and experience, of course! I do wonder if having a broad range of mental models, and the agility to bounce between them, is quite a fundamental change for me. Not only noticing the facade of physical change, but noticing and considering the architectural and design differences of places sparked that thought for me. A mentor once told me "It's what you look for that you see". I'll choose to look for the positive and be open to the broadest range I can :)

Time moved fast for the entire trip. I visited the office several times, prepped for the wedding, attended the wedding, visited friends and family, played golf, celebrated our wedding anniversary and birthdays, ate many amazing meals, and even played some air hockey and foosball. I bet I'm forgetting other highlights! 

They say "people won't remember what you said, or even what you did, but they'll remember how you made them feel". I'm feeling loved, connected and open to learning. I'm hopeful that I offered and contributed those kinds of feelings during the visit.