My Thoughts on Going Back Home in 10 GIFS

It has been over 14 months since I said goodbye to my family and left home. 14 long months of missing my family, friends, my favorite foods, and of course Azora. And now after 14 months the time has finally arrived.

Tomorrow morning this girl is headed home for the holidays with her Viking in tow and we are ridiculously excited!

Excitement is not the only thing that I have been feeling lately. Being away from home for so long and knowing that I am finally going back, well lets just say I am a glass case of emotion. So many thoughts and emotions are running through my mind right now, things like:

Am I going to feel like an outsider?
I am going to understand everything everyone is saying, I don’t even remember what that feels like!
How am I going to feel when our trip is over and we are headed back to Iceland?
My family, I am going to see my family #soexcited!

Since I seem to only be capable of writing word vomit I am going to let the GIFs do the talking.

What I will be feeling…

When I walk out of work today and know I have the next three glorious weeks off

vvia

When the pilot announces “Welcome to Portland” and I am 5 minutes away from hugging my parents

via

When Azora and I have our reunion

via

What my sisters are I will be doing each night, pajama dance party!

via

When I get to eat all those foods I have been missing this past year

via

When I understand everything that is happening in a conversation

via

When I think about the fact that I will be back in my comfort zone and know where everything is and everyone understands what I am saying (sometimes expat life makes me feel not so smart)

via

When H and I walk into the mall (we are deprived here in expensive Iceland)

via

When my girlfriends from childhood and I meet up these conversations are bound to happen (I mean our 20s are for figuring out life right?)

via

When I think about all the time I will be spending with my family

via

When I am saying my goodbyes to my family and headed back to Iceland…

Well we just won’t talk about that yet.

For everyone that is heading home for the holidays you have to check out this video. My friend sent it to me last week and I have been singing it so much around the house that I caught H humming along one day ha.

Happy Monday everyone. Next time you will hear from me I will be sitting by the fireplace at my parents house with Azora helping me blog, aka putting her head on my computer because she wants attention. Now I am off to pretend to be working, as if I could think clearly with all this excitement going on in my head!

Question of the Day?
Are you going home for the holidays this year?

December 15, 2014 by Kiki

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http://www.adventurings.com Cynthia

Aw, so exciting. I still haven’t been home yet so I can’t even imagine all the emotions! It will be a great holidays for you. Bon voyage and enjoy all those American things for me! :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  It is so exciting knowing that I will be home so soon after being away for so long! Thanks so much, I hope you have a great holiday season!
http://ceciliaintherain.wordpress.com Cecilia

Enjoy your time back home! I definitely relate to a lot of this! x
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thank you :) So many thoughts and feelings right now but I am mostly just so excited!
http://www.rhymeandribbons.com/ Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons

I’m pretty jealous! have an amazing time at home! x
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thank you :) I hope you have an amazing Christmas in London!
http://wildheartsandgreentea.com/ Wild Hearts + Green Tea

Hilarious :) Hope you have a wonderful time at home, happy holidays!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thank you, and happy holidays to you too!
http://www.mirandasnotebook.com Miranda | Miranda’s Notebook

Hehe, this post is so cute! Have a great trip back and an amazing time with your family. I understand your excitement at being able to understand everything that is going on around you - I felt that when I moved from France to the UK! xx
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  It is going to be a shock at first actually understanding all the conversations that are going on around me! I can’t wait though, it is going to be so great to be home again. Happy holidays!
http://www.thesunnysideothis.com/ Laisa

Omg, I felt an adrenaline rush throughout my blood stream!! So excited for you! And yes, you will be able to understand e v e r y t h i n g now! Lol, I forgot what that felt like too! Enjoy, have fun, take lots of pictures, have a million of dance parties and eat tons of delicious treats!!!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Awe thanks so much girl! I have totally forgotten what it is like to understand everything, it is going to be exciting to know what is going on around me again! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Caitlin Travis

Oh man a comfort zone - enjoy being in one of those for me! I’m pretty sure my first trip home will involve a lot of random conversations with random people. It’s something I’m deathly afraid of her.. I’m sure you’ll have a blast! :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  I know right, the thought of being back in my comfort zone is just going to be amazing! Thanks so much, I can not wait to fly out tomorrow!
http://megantofrancewithlove.blogspot.com/ Megan

So excited for you! When I was back home this summer, it was a bit strange at first to be able to understand conversations going on around me, as I’ve gotten used to being in my own bubble of ignorance over here lol, and I forgot how friendly people were! Random people starting up conversations in the check out line at the grocery store…doesn’t really happen over here. Anyway, I hope you have the best holiday vacation ever with your family!!! :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks Megan! I am the same, I am totally use to just being in my own bubble and ignoring most conversations. I am going to have to remember to pay attention! I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
http://www.seeyouinaporridge.com/ Kristen @ SYIAP

ahhh i love this so much. i always wriggle in my seat with excitement when i land in sydney, and once i have all my bags and have gone through customs i run out of there like a bat out of hell looking for my mummy. and of course i cry immediately.
leaving? leaving sucks.
have fun!!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Awe I already know I am going to be the same, so excited and totally going to cry as soon as I see my mom! Thanks so much!
http://www.simplysaratravel.com/ Sara

Enjoy your time home! This was such a cute post :-) It is such a weird feeling to be able to understand everyone around you again - I felt a bit distracted and almost invasive being able to comprehend the conversations around me when I went back to visit! I always have some shock in the supermarkets - I’m always blown away by the size of the store and all the options (a whole aisle for cereal? and another for chips?!). It’s going to take me hours to food shop whenever I move back :-)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Yes, the supermarkets, I already know those are going to be so overwhelming compare to what I have gotten use to!
http://www.adventuresofalondonkiwi.blogspot.com/ adventuresofalondonkiwi

Yes, yes yes yes - to all of these!! I’m off home myself and can’t wait, but are nervously excited?
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Yay, I hope you have the best time back home! And we are totally nervously excited!
http://www.adifferentpieceofsky.com Sara

So exciting! I hope you have an awesome time back home (I’m sure you will)!! Safe travels! :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much! So far it has been amazing to be back home!
http://www.amyandthegreatworld.com/ AmyMacWorld

That Brad Pitt dance is one of my favorite GIFs ever :) I’m so excited for you to go home!! beware of Target, though-when I went there after returning from China I think I blacked out (so many choices! so cute!) because I bought so many random things-everything from nail polish to Oreos to thick winter socks (in August!) lol.

have so much fun and safe travels!!!! xoxo
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Isn’t that GIF awesome ha! It is so wonderful being back home I am loving it! I hope you have an awesome trip!
http://whisperingwriter.blogspot.com/ Amber

Have a great time back home. The GIFs are hilarious!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much, have a great Christmas!
http://themochileradiaries.com Leah Kate

So happy for you! Going home after so long will be so wonderful! Don’t think about leaving before you even get there, just enjoy being in the moment! Enjoyyy :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  It has been wonderful being back home I am loving it!
Brianna DePauw

Yay! So exciting, those GIFs are hilarious! Have a wonderful Holiday at home!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much, have a wonderful holiday as well!
http://voyageofthemeemee.com/ Amanda MeeMee

YAY! I’m excited FOR you! Safe travels, friend!!! :D
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much! Hope you have a great Christmas!
http://alkeksabroad.wordpress.com/ Courtney Alkek

This was so great! I can’t imagine not seeing my family for over a year. I am so excited for you!!

http://alkeksabroad.wordpress.com
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  It has been one long year, I am so happy to be back home with my family!
http://www.treatsandtravels.com/ Kristen @ Treats and Travels

Hahaha! I loved this, so happy for you! Enjoy the holidays at home!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much! Have a wonderful holiday as well!
http://letuswanderlust.blogspot.com/ Carly @ Let Us Wanderlust

Yay, so happy for you Kaelene!! So exciting! This post is utter perfection - I especially love the Brad Pitt GIF! It always makes me laugh. Have the bestest Christmas ever xoxo
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks Carly! It has been amazing being back home! I hope you have a great Christmas as well!
http://www.gorjaeous.com/ Jae

Hilarious set of GIFs, Kiki! I’m sure you’re going to have lots of fun with family and friends!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thank you :) It has been wonderful being home with my family and friends!
http://www.crumbsinthebed.com/ Kerri

I hope you have a really lovely time!! The last time we went home it was about a year or more since the last time, it really is great. Although reverse culture shock is a thing! Too much understanding, you might find yourself freaking out at the supermarket haha, like I did.

Have a lovely holiday and enjoy every minute :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Reverse culture shock is definitely a thing! I have definitely already had a freak out at the grocery store!
http://www.littleworldlovable.com/ Emma @LWL

Haha I hope you have a great time :) It’s definitely a great feeling coming back to a country where the main language is English!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  So wonderful finally being able to understand everything again!
http://meandmr.com melaniekay

Thats great you get to see your family!!! I’m sure you miss them so much! You are going to have such a great Christmas!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  I have missed them so much! It is wonderful being back home for the holidays!
http://speaking-denglish.com/ Alex, Denglish Speaker

14 months! Wow, you deserve it and I’m excited for you. Have the greatest time!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much Alex! It is wonderful to be back home again!
http://meetatthebarre.blogspot.com/ Amanda Elizabeth

I hope you are having an amazing time with your family and hitting the mall hard!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks girl! Shopping is the main thing on my itinerary!
http://readtravelbecome.com Mere Salazar

HAHAHA this post is awesome!!! I have some of those same feelings, and these GIFS describe them perfectly. I’ve only been gone 8 months, but it feels so much longer. Hope you have a safe trip and a great time in the States!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thank you! Now that I am back home it feels like I have never really left. It is wonderful to be back home again! Have a great holiday!
http://www.brookemeaganjones.com/ Brooke Jones

Yay!!! I’m so excited for you! These gifs are seriously perfect. Love the excited little girl haha and my girlfriends and I totally channel that Tina Fey gif when we’re together too. Have fun!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Haha it has been so fun seeing all my girlfriends again! All of these gifs are totally happening right now.
Beth

LOL! I’d never seen that sketch before- it’s so true! Thanks for sharing.
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Me and my friends that are home for the holidays are all loving that video ha!
http://bristolinmypocket.blogspot.co.uk/ Sara Rose

Hahahaha, I love that song!!!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  It is to perfect, my mom seriously has bowls for everything!
http://helloimcaroline.com Caroline Lindkvist

Awesome post! I hope you will enjoy your Christmas back home! I lived in San Diego for a while and celebrated Christmas 2011 there all by myself (well, with my Italian employers…) and it was horrible being away from my family and boyfriend. 14 months from home must be quite hard so HAVE FUN! :)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Thanks so much! It has been a long time away from home for sure it is wonderful being back home! Have a great Christmas!
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http://www.tothedayslikethis.com/ Sammy @ Days Like This

Haha this is awesome!!
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Haha my mind works in gifs.
http://www.hellosugarblog.com shaneemarie

hahaha this is hilarious! I’m a expat from California living in rural Norway and I completely resonated with ALL of those gifs. Sooo spot on! I just bought my ticket home for April/May (it’ll be 17 months of missing my family and friends) and I can’t wait to let my GIF flag fly ;)
- http://unlockingkiki.com/ Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki
  
  Awe it is going to be such an awesome trip back home for you!
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My Thoughts on Going Back Home in 10 GIFS

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