Countdown

It’s official!  I am flying home to New York on May 11^th.  After toying with which flight to choose, I finally went with a flight that will include all of the luggage that I need to check, and also one that is a short 11 hours of travel time.  One quick layover in Iceland and to America I go!

As I will be home in less than 100 days, I am beginning to get very excited. Maybe too excited for still having that much time left, but the end is in sight and I can’t help but really begin to miss things from home.  I actually blame my rediscovery of Pinterest for making me miss things so badly!

I miss..

1. Making my own coffee in the morning and my French Vanilla Coffee-mate.

2. Hot, or even warm showers.  No, I have never gotten used to the cold showers here.  If I haven't worked out before a shower, I'm frozen.

3. Happy hour/Sunday funday.

4. Flushing toilet paper.

5. Dancing.

6. Fresh air that smells more like roses and less like sewage.  If you think NYC smells bad, you haven’t been to Thailand.

7. My friends.  Sometimes I just want to hop on a plane and meet them for #3 above.  Or sit with them and watch Bravo for 10 hours straight.  Not like we've done that before..

8. The gym. Never in my life did I think I would say this, but working out here is BORING. Five days a week I force my butt to go to the running park to attempt to keep the abundance of rice and noodles I eat daily from packing on the pounds.  The running park is a 4 minute walk from my place and it is a .48 mile track surrounding a park. The scenery has gotten all too repetitive, but it is impossible to run on the sidewalks here, if you could even call them sidewalks.  They’re more like slabs of concrete that are displaced and cracked all over.  Run on the sidewalks if you want to break your ankle.  Also, having free weights, a yoga mat, or a stability ball would be a big help.

9. Forever 21 and buying clothes in general. I bought a pair of Thai pants for myself and that is the extent of shopping I have done in three months.

10. My parents and the rest of my family.  A few weeks ago when I turned on my camera, a very scary message popped up that read battery exhausted.  Already?! Well I looked here and I found no replacement, so the angels that are my parents sent me a new battery and charger.  This package came way faster than I could have imagined, and what a great thing to receive on a Friday!  Of course the package was filled with things I had requested, like a shirt, sports bras, and some medicine, but they snuck in some surprises as well.  Bug spray, Valentine’s Day gifts for my students, and a People magazine!  I cried.  I'm not sure if it was because of happiness, of missing them, or a teeny bit of both.  Something so small as a People magazine will make me happy for days after.  I'll read it slowly throughout the week to make it last longer!

Also, Lindsey and Jake are moving to Connecticut within the next month! Two big moves for my sister this year, and I am hoping that this next one is the perfect thing for them! Wish I could be there to help (but secretly happy I don't have to!)!

11. My car.  I have had nightmares that something bad happens to my car.  This is probably because my dad chooses to keep his boat in the garage while my car is freezing outside all winter.  I have had my car for less than two years, and the poor thing has spent the past three months just sitting there. I miss driving my pretty Ford Focus and I can’t wait until I no longer need to rely on my feet and public transportation.

12. Cooking and having a kitchen in general.  Like I said, Pinterest has been the devil lately.  I have recently pinned cake pops, Reese’s mini cheesecake bites, homemade ice cream, chocolate chip cookie cake, and frozen strawberry crunch cake.  I would do a lot to be able to have these desserts right now.  These things make a person in America’s mouth water, but at least you have the option to go to the store and actually bake these things!  I don’t even have a microwave!!  Oh and CHEESE!  If anyone wants to get on my good side when I get home, a simple block of cheese would earn you big brownie points!!  Speaking of brownie points.. Mmmm, brownies.

13. My queen size bed.  The twin isn’t doing it for me.  My friends here have learned that I like my space when I am sleeping.  A few weekends ago, we went away for one night.  We got a room with a double bed and thought we would also get a cot.  The manager immediately shot us down when we asked for that, but he did bring us a comforter, an extra pillow, and extra blankets.  Although three of us could have probably fit in the double, I was glad to immediately volunteer to sleep on the hardwood floor!  Although I don’t even move around while sleeping, I am looking forward to having all that space back.

Even though there are things that I miss and I now find myself tearing up about the silliest things from home all too easily, there is SO MUCH to look forward to before then!  My travels are all booked, beginning the day after school ends!  Brittany and I are doing Cambodia for 10 days.  We move onto Vietnam to meet up with Amelia and Mikaela, where we will be spending another 12 days.  I will then get 14 days of me time before my flight to London.  It is looking like it will be just me and some island hopping and I am a. okay with that.  Keep in mind, there is still a chance to visit..