Back from Brazil

WOW. It is June already.

I had a wonderful time in Brazil for the last two weeks. It was great to see my family and friends. Since this is my "PhD Journal" I will talk about my trip in light of my future plans of earning a PhD.
One of the goals of this trip was to explain to my family why I it would be in school for at least 4 more years. The idea of someone going to school for such a long time is as foreign as the USA itself. My parents were particularly worried about my ability to stay "normal" and not go "crazy" due to my studies. After talking to them about the school, professors, and my daily life they felt a little more comfortable with my decision (or gave up on changing my mind :D).
This time time in Brazil also served as rest before some intense studying this fall. It still amazes me the impact of immigration on ones psychology. Even though it was stressful being back "home", I relaxed and was able to rest. My wife mentioned she enjoyed the support of family and friends and saw it as the main source of rest to her. I can't pinpoint one thing that made me relax in Brazil. I theorize that being "average" again has a lot to do with it, even though having a diverse background has benefited me with numerous opportunities in the USA. Is this my dissertation topic? My masterpiece? Probably not :D
I would like to finish with a quote from Roberto DaMatta that I read on "Brasil Fora de Si" by Jose Carlos Sebe Bom Meihy:
"Only few situations have such similarity with death than traveling, specially to a foreign country. Those who leave their birth place experience the death of the realities (landscapes/views, smells, temperatures, seasoning, rhythms, spaces, colors, relationships, objects, people, and contexts) that stayed behind in that place. Things will always belong to the place left behind. This birth place where we open our eyes to what, someday, if all goes well, will welcome us back with that glorious indifference which we strongly fight to domesticate and control" (translation by Douglas Ribeiro)