And when will you be back home?

Independence is a forbidden fruit. Once you taste it, it's very hard to go back to your former broccoli of a life (although I do like broccoli). Part of the joy of growing up (and hopefully maturing) is leaving your cozy nest (aka the parents' home), and learning to take care of yourself. Initially it's not easy to be away from your mom's amazing cooking, the daily hugs (I love hugs more than food), the quality time with the parents, and of course access to a car. However, you soon appreciate the advantages of doing whatever you want to do, whenever you want to, an not having to explain your priorities to your parents. This does not mean that I'm going to let myself go loose like an unrestrained child in a candy store (although some students end up doing that...they end up with diabetes and cavities). Independence is what you make of it, and in my case, it was about learning what my limits are and what I am capable of on my own. Although, I suppose if I stayed at home, I would grow up even more (assuming I took initiative). At home you'd have to learn to take an active role in experiencing the same thing as your peers away from home while making your parents grow up and accept the fact that you're no longer a little kid. It's like two challenges at the same time! (Bravo to those handling the double challenge!)

In any case, I took the easy route of being away from home. However, I'll have to face the second challenge next year when I go back to my hometown to do my hospital rotations. Whenever I go back home for a long weekend/holiday, I feel like a little kid again. This is mainly because my parents will remind me to eat (apparently I don't eat much while I'm at school, but this is probably compared to Mediterranean meal standards), I'll be asked why I'm not studying madly (after all, this is all that med students should do), I'll be asked why I'm not dressed warm enough for the cold weather, and of course, my two favorite question - when are you coming back home and who are you going with? These two last questions define childhood and parenting. I appreciate the fact that my parents love me and have a concern about my safety - and believe me, I have come to terms with those two questions - but I don't know at what point of my adulthood when they'll accept that I hang out with trustworthy people, and that I don't really plan the time that I'll be coming back home. Next year will be especially amusing because I'll be spending the majority of the time at the hospital. I can vividly imagine my parents asking me where I'm going, who I'm with, and what time I'm coming back home - "Mom, I'll be at the hospital again, I'll be hanging out with patient R, Patient X, Patient Y, and Patient A, and I'll be on call, so I won't be home tonight." - "Ok, make sure you eat, and study!".

All I know, is that one day I'll miss my parents and their attempt to provide a protective bubble (Lifetime warranty!), and I'll keep that memory alive by passing on the bubble to my future kids. Ah, now that's love.