I haven’t suffered much homesickness on the race which is a huge blessing. God has made it relatively easy to be present and enjoy the place I’m at, even during holidays, birthdays, and other days that might make one a bit more nostalgic.
That’s why i was surprised the other morning to feel homesick. It was the Fourth of July and my teammates and I were sharing what we usually do over the 4th. It’s definitely not my favorite holiday but I think because it is so specific to the US that all the celebrations we do for it can’t really be replicated around the world. After processing why I was so homesick for a cookout next to Grammy’s pool and a few sparklers, I realized that I will be back in the United States next month. That realization made me feel all sorts of feelings. It feels really close, almost too close. But close enough that I feel the freedom of expressing some of the real things I miss about my country and home without fear that I’m going to remove myself from remaining “present.”
Here’s my list-of-things-I-miss-and-am-thankful-for to help remind me of God’s abundant blessings once I arrive back home and forget it was ever something I lived without.
Cook outs with my friends
La Croix
Driving
Taking walks around the lake
Calling my mom while I drive home
Freedom to call or text people whenever I want, wherever I am, not restricted to WiFi zones
Riding my bike !!!!!
My church
Having control over my bedtime
Filtered coffee – a real rarity on the race
30 Rock
Looking things up on the internet freely instead of adding it to my “to-do on WiFi” list
Cooking for myself
Baking
Watermelon
Frozen mangos from HEB
Calling Grammy – maybe she’ll figure out how to call me over FaceTime in these last two months ???
Seeing babies everyday at work
Speaking Spanish
Going out to breakfast – breakfast is something the US does better than any country I’ve been to.
Tacos
Having two days off in a row
Running and being ok getting lost
Being by myself, indoors or out
Laundry machines
DRYERS
My bed
Ordering food off a menu and the restaurant hasn’t run out of that food. Or learning that they never actually had it in the first place
Showers with hot water
Showers that consistently work
Flushing toilet paper
Drinking water from the sink or drinking fountains – this is a big one
IPA’s
Spending too much money on Juiceland
ZUMBA
All things improv
Sidewalks
Ice
Iced coffee
Cold drinks in general
Topo chico
My computer
My friends
Substitute teaching my bilingual pre-K and kinder babies
Lifting weights. I’M OVER BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES
Going to the dentist when I need to
Haircuts
My sweatshirts
Having more than three pairs of shoes to choose from
My own room
Sleep that isn’t disturbed by animal noises, children crying or the smell of burning trash
Not having to say so many goodbyes
There’s definitely more things that I can’t think of. If you’re reading this in the US and have access to one of these items, please enjoy them and be mindful that many places in the world don’t enjoy that little luxury. I’ll be home soon!
