By Nora_Wolcott
After a long exam week, I've had time to be a bit introspective about this whole experience. And, with no wild adventures to report, I thought I'd give a run down of all the things I miss most about living in the States, and all the things I'll miss when I return home.
The things I miss about the States are inevitably food-centred, so bear with me.
- Good Mexican Food- NZ is so far from Mexico they seem to have lost any concept of what Mexican food actually is. Appropriations include restaurants like Mexicali, with watery quinoa and borderline offensive drinks like "cartel".
- Chairs With Arms- chairs here do not have arms.
- Cheap Produce- with almost everything having to be imported from far away, the vast majority of things like fresh produce are prohibitively expensive.
- New York Pizza- all pizza here tastes like frozen pizza, and the closest I've come to a decent slice was still far too deep dish for my taste.
- Friends and Family- honestly this should be first on the list, because the people back home are what make it home.
NZ is a magical place, and there are a few things I already know I'll be missing when I return to the States.
- Tramping- accessible and breathtaking mountain hiking at every corner is an easy contender for first place among things I'll miss.
- Having Free Time- Kiwi's have a different concept of how many hours you should be working (or doing homework), leaving me a great deal of free time to spend doing things I genuinely enjoy.
- Progressive Politics- though I love some good bipartisanship, I will miss the country's widespread agreement on progressive principles.
- Feijoa- the strange sour fruit is something I've come to love, and I know I'll be craving my fresh feijoa breakfasts when I'm gone.
- Wine (and being able to drink it)- NZ is absolutely covered in vineyards, which churn out some of the best wine in the world. And with the drinking age at 18, I'm actually able to enjoy it legally.
Of course this is just a small selections of things I miss back home and will miss when I return, but I hope it gave some insight into what I truly enjoy in each place. Though I'm loving my time in Auckland, the harsh reality of having an end date is softened by all the things I'm looking forward to back in DC.