Final Thoughts/ what I've learned about NC coming back

I've decided coming home warrants one more blog entry, but I need to stop after that or I will become some creepy blogger.

Lol, no offense to people who have blogs... none at all. I'm just not special enough to have one, haha. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Anyways, coming home has taught me a great deal about myself. It turns out how much I really love North Carolina took me by surprise. I have not been in London withdrawal, which is also surprising. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore the city and will never completely get over it, but coming home has made me realized how much I have had all along.

While abroad I was always aware that I love and will always miss my family. We're really close and there is no place like home. However, I never really thought about Chapel Hill too much after the first month abroad. Once I had settled in I always knew I'd be back next semester and kept in touch with my friends in the meantime.

The first thing that struck me when I came home was how much stuff I own (well... AFTER the Andy's shrimp burger... oh and leaving my travelers checks at the restaurant. Yes... the 2nd thing I did in America was leave money at a restaurant... go figure, lol). I was able to pack everything into my suitcase and duffel bag. And I had plenty to live with in London. Here I have a ridiculous spring/summer wardrobe, 3 purses I will end up using, 2 clutches, random piles of crap, magazines, jewelry I completely forgot about, tons of shoes, etc. It's ridiculous.

I am a wasteful citizen and never really realized how much. My mother asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year and... well... I really don't need anything. Not going to lie though, we went to banana republic and I found enough to wrap up to satisfy the need for a few boxes under the tree... so I'm STILL wasteful...lol. I guess old habits die hard :-) At least it was all in dollars!

Wow... this is becoming a long last post.

Also, I am realizing I need to go volunteer or donate to a charity, ASAP, I have always wanted to buy a donkey for a small village in a random country...

OK, well anyways. So I not only have loved coming back to my family, but seeing my friends has been a gift. I adore Chapel Hill. Seeing Lindsay Tuesday and Thursday, brunch with Peter on Wednesday, and going to Charlotte and Katie's party was wonderful. I cannot wait until next semester...

Here is what I have found that only exists in North Carolina/ America that coming back has made me highly appreciate:

1. Eating at Five Guys I looked over to a table of Southerners... a kid was wearing a tshirt with a bald eagle that said "If you don't love it, leave" - it makes my day to see rednecks

2. Driving. I love driving... (although now I am back to worrying about deer... it was on the front page of the News and Observe this week that Wake County has the largest # of auto accidents involving deer...)

3. Driving and seeing 2 guys with a shot gun shooting at the trees... and the shot gun fires - People can have guns in America... scary, but entertaining when seeing them used in this manner

4. Hectors Cheese Fries!!! (and being friends with their 1 and only VIP)

5. 25 cent beer

6. Animal Planet... a whole tv station dedicated to animals... I specifically chose to watch "Growing Up Walrus" - it's adorable/ creepy - (Sapna stopped me after 10 minutes... worried I was going to be brainwashed)

7. Most things costing half price and knowing it...

8. Breadman's French Toast, especially when eaten after a night out, lol

9. Having a Christmas reindeer in our lawn/ riding around suburbia and looking at the obnoxious decorations

10. having someone to come help if crazy stuff happens... like my car getting keyed on Friday (thanks Dad... )

11. Banana Republic

12. SPACE - it's this concept I seemed to have forgotten

13. Taco bell, Andy's cheesesteak, Dunkin Donuts, Biaggi's, Five Guys, my fav. Korean restaurant (yes... I will start eating healthy eventually... haha, well... after I get to Bojangles...)

14. eating something other than Tortellini's, period

15. ridiculous Sigma memories, lol

16. the HUGE liquor store... dude... it's overwhelming

17. a queen sized bed! (lol, and bunk bed next semester...)

18. Blockbuster, VH1, a true MTV, being in America while watching The Daily Show and Colbert Report, a ridiculous amount of bad reality tv (that I adore... right now I'm watching 'America's Most Smartest Model'... embarrassing, i know), etc

19. It being painfully obvious that I need to read more, lol

20. Rueda!

21. being home for the Holidays :-)

22. Carolina Basketball!!!

23. driving around the winding back roads to Chapel Hill... with the windows down and music turned up entirely too loud when it's warm out (like it was this December until today...)

24. Where else can you go to CVS to get a flu shot and then to the grocery store in under 45 minutes...

25. Although I feel as though I've made lifelong friends in London, I am so blessed to be back to the many friends I have grown close to over the past 3 years. I love you guys!

So even though there are many things I'm bound to miss about London, and I'm not going to lie... I'd certainly love to live there again at some point... in the end, even though this is terribly cliche, I've also found there is no place like home.