Back to civilian life

I came home for the first time since I joined the army, and I can't say anything other than it's so sweet to be a civilian again, albeit temporarily. The army changed my whole world, but the world around me doesn't seem to have changed all that much. It feels so familiar to live a civilian life again that I can't even believe I'd been in the army for the past five months. The army experience is still so unreal to me.

The army life isn't that bad, though. I'm treated ok - I may not be respected, but at least I don't get beat up like in the past. And I don't do much physical stuff. Instead, I've been doing a lot of menial work, like cleaning and making coffee, and a lot of word processing. It's not something you would normally expect someone with my background and experience to do, but in the army, I'm just a lowly private.

What sucks is that I'm stuck in the base 24/7. I can't bring in my ipod, so I can't listen to music I want, which is pretty hard for me. With nothing better to do, I read a lot and work out pretty regularly, though since my job doesn't really involve physical training, I'm by no means in a soldier shape.

I still got a year and a half to go in the army, and honestly, I already know it's gonna be the longest one and a half year in my life. But life goes on regardless, and someday I'll get outta there for good. The hope is the only thing that keeps me going now.