To quote Joni Mitchell, “don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone?” Yes, Joni, it does. The longer I’ve been here and the more time I spend settled, the more things I realize I miss desperately. Here are a few on my mind right now (in no particular order).
- Autumn in New York – (For my European friends, that’s New York State, not NYC.) October is a month of brilliant red, yellow, and orange hues and a crisp breeze. There’s nothing like the way the trees light up in such a brilliant flame. (For my Californian friends, no, not actual fire.)
- Driving (with American fuel prices) – Some weeks I never leave the east side of Glasgow. It will no longer surprise me when I meet Manhattan residents that consider Poughkeepsie up-state.
- The Sun – They weren’t kidding. It’s always cloudy, raining or both here. Always.
- Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives – American food, not you, Guy Fieri. That means burgers, ribs, salads, grilled cheese, milkshakes, Reubens, NY style pizza, waffles, pancakes, BLTs, muffins, pies, mac n’ cheese, hot dogs… I could go on.
- Christopher – An incredible man of God I’m too lucky to have.
A life he’s a part of is just easier. Simpler. Happier. Better. - Stewart’s – “Gas station that sells ice cream” doesn’t even come close to articulating the beauty that is Stewart’s.
- Coffee Shops – It’s all about coffee’s prissy, goodie-two-shoes, big sister tea in the UK. None of these tea houses could hold a match to Park Bros., “Cathaccinos”, or Cathy honestly.
- Customer Service – In the UK, customer service is nonexistent unless they’re trying to replicate our American atmosphere. Their best attempt looks like not caring that you’re there or need anything. Forget discounts because you didn’t enjoy your visit.
- Fresh Produce – Glasgow ranks in as the UK's "unhealthiest" city. Finding deep fried candy bars is easier than finding a farmer's market.
- Katelyn – I find it quite impossible to articulate what this girl means to me or the void in my life when she’s not there. All I know is that every day, all day I’m missing her quirks, support, love, voice, rants, snacks, and laugh.
- Open Spaces – For one, the Adirondacks. But really…just grass. I miss grass.
- (Affordable) Worldly Cuisine – SUSHI. Thai. TexMex. Nachos. All I’m getting here is Fish
‘n Chips and unnecessarily fried foods. - Church – This shout-out is for my CFC family. The movement happening in the NoCo is incredible and I miss being a part of it.
- Walmart – Errand running gets so much more complicated when there’s a different store for literally everything you need. I'd rather not deal with it at all.
- 24-hour Access to What I Need – If it’s after 5PM your options are limited. If it’s after 8PM you better suck it up and wait ‘til morning. Sometimes I need ice cream at 2AM ok?!?
- Hayrides, Apple Picking, Apple Cider, Apple Cider Donuts and Pumpkin Patches – Timeless. Rachel Long, this one’s for you.
- Thanksgiving and Halloween – They’ve had Christmas decorations out for a little bit already. They just skip all of the holidays. Bank holidays and Christmas. That’s it.
- The American Dollar – I’m pretty tired of losing a third of my money on every purchase (though the pound value is still dropping slowly, thanks, Brexit).
- Cookies – The UK sweets game is sorely lacking despite the cult-like following behind The Great British Bake-off. All I'm getting is tea and dry biscuits. Biscuits are not cookies.
- My bed – I’ve slept on couches, futons, beds with broken springs, and even the floor for the past 4 months. I’ll never take my mattress for granted again.
- Family – I consider my mom to be one of my closest friends and I miss watching my siblings grow every day. But we all know this one is really about my dog.
An overwhelming majority of the things I miss revolve around food. But so does America so I don't see anything out of the ordinary there. Trying to enjoy the time I have left but really missing the little things that make home...home.
