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So I'm back in Seattle, after about 30 hours of traveling and a few days after. I'm still getting used to US time, but I have to admit - I'm really glad to be back here. I thought reverse culture shock would be more of a problem, although I definitely am experiencing it to a certain degree - like, for example, I'm totally frustrated with the American standard of beauty versus beauty in Senegal, which is more about self-expression than holding yourself to an anorexic, unrealistic, and unhealthy ideal. It's really just being able to look at the US with something concrete to compare it to, and I think if anything, it's a good thing. My conception of feminism has changed a lot too, because I've realized that you can't impose western ideas of feminism on Senegal or any other country, really. But I've also noticed that in the US, women are more likely to say that they aren't feminists and to sincerely believe that we've made "enough" strides for equality that we don't need to make anymore. And I'm totally frustrated that some people say things like, "Oh, maybe we just aren't ready for a woman/black/not white Protestant male president."

Newsflash. Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, anyone?

Seriously. Pakistan beat us to it. Bangladesh. Finland.

I guess that living in another country has made me realize that the US way isn't always the best way, when it comes to women's rights or anything else.

I still love it here, and I still love Christmas, and I still love my family. And I definitely like smooth roads and seatbelts and vegetables and stuff.

But seriously America, we are at such a position to do good in the world. We should fight global warming and genocide because we CAN. We have the resources to do it.

And as for a woman president, if Pakistan can do it, then we can too.

Nothing like traveling abroad to make you develop a love-hate relationship with your own country. I do love America, I just think that we could be doing a lot better. Because going abroad has made me realize that changing the world is SO possible, which makes me feel so optimistic and frustrated at the same time.

It's a journey.

I'll add the rest of my photos in the coming days.

There's no place like home.