Welcome home

Back in Hawaii (sans luggage, but really not an unusual occurrence these days....) and tucked up in bed, so a short one before I hit the hay. Today I travelled from Thunder Bay - Minneapolis - Chicago - LA - Honolulu - quite the trek.

In Minneapolis I cleared customs (first time i've done it there), so went through the rigmarole of registering my work visa etc etc. For the first time ever (and i've cleared customs with my work visa a fair few times at this point) the customs official said "Welcome Home" as he gave back my passport. First time ever. It hit a chord and made me smile. The US is my home, yet being on a work visa I have never been "welcomed" home here before by customs. If anything I am usually made to feel quite the opposite by customs. I have to write "Britain" on my forms for "country of residence" as I am not allowed to say I reside here, I only work here in their eyes (though amusingly, I am a 'resident for tax purposes only'). I am usually pushed through after a short grilling (sometimes a long one in secondary screening) to make sure I am worthy (well, not really, but it feels like it much of the time). It just took me back when he said it, as it hadn't happened before, but it felt really good, like i've finally been accepted - silly I know, but it felt that way.

Home is where the heart is, and at the moment, my heart is in Honolulu. My home has always moved with me on my travels, and at present, though I am an alien here, the USA is my home. So welcome home me. Now to bed. Hope everyone has a good Labor Day tomorrow.

ps - they took the packing out on saturday and did not replace it - yippee! Though still no shower (or getting wet) until the incisions have healed, maybe a week or so, but i'm hoping for faster. Much more comfortable for the long plane ride today....