I’ve been home for a week now and its amazing how I just kind of get back into the groove and once I’ve seen all the weird little things that have changed, like hearing the new bishop’s name during the Eucharistic prayer, that construction is, annoyingly, blocking Lima Road right by the house, and that I don’t recognize all the hairdressers at Great Clips I feel okay if not a bit shaken up that things have gone on and people live without me in Fort Wayne, IN. (Joking!) Possibly the weirdest shock is that my room is not exactly as I left it! My mom has invaded and made it her little studio…but then I remember that I do have my own place in downtown Nancy and maybe its better that its more my parents home than mine. I am glad, though, to see that some things, the things I most count on, never and hopefully won’t ever change:
1. My family – they still love and care for me and take me in and feed me even though I continue to go off on long trips!! Absolutely the BEST part about coming home!!
2. Free Refills and giant portions – I documented the humungous portions that kind of shocked me when we went to go get cheeseburgers at Logan’s Roadhouse on my first afternoon home so that my European friends can understand my complaints about small portions. I think I’ve shared EVERY meal I’ve ordered since I’ve been home and still brought home leftovers!
3. Starbucks’ Vanilla Latte – need I say more. I believe that I’ve ordered a Starbucks almost every day since I’ve been home. Seriously. I mean I have to stock up for the next two months of Starbucks withdrawal.
4. Driving on the highway with the radio blaring and the windows down, hair blowing and sunglasses on. So typically American. Period.
5. My mom’s cooking – when family came to visit she made three massive desserts of which we still have leftovers.
6. Cosmos’ food = amazing. Twice visited by Mom and I, Cosmos’ is and I think always be my favorite breakfast joint and that leads me to number seven,
7. Big breakfasts with all the fixins’ Eggs, meat, pancakes, biscuits…etc, etc, etc…you name it. I love breakfast.
8. Big, clean and stocked restrooms. Enough said.
9. SALES!!! Mainly on clothes because let’s face it I like to shop and I can buy a larger amount of clothes here in the States than I can in France, mainly because there are only sales twice a year!
10. Forever 21 – speaking of shopping, I missss my favorite clothing and accessories store when I’m gone. H&M is a good sub, but not the same.
So, there you go. Home, sweet home!
And now its back to France until the end of July when I head to Middlebury, Vermont to study for the summer at Middlebury College and after…well…who knows….
