Things That I Am Going To Miss

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Preparing for Goodbye and Stopping to Smell the Roses

Half Dome, Yosemite

• Friends and family – this, out of everything, is what I am going to miss most. Many may think that as an introvert that I will do fine on my own since I like alone time. But the thing is that I also enjoy being around the people that I care about. I never went away from school, so this will be the hardest thing for me. I have never experienced truly being on my own. As for my friends, I am already used to some being far away, but it seems as just as some are coming home, I am choosing to leave.
• My pets – so maybe my future may include being a crazy cat lady. I mean they’re so cute! So I am going to miss my cat, or just having a cat around in general. I am also going to miss my dog, which will just make my homesickness worse! I am an animal person, and knowing that I am not going to see them next year is just as bad as knowing that I won’t be seeing my friends and family.
• My car – ok this is a very first world problem, but I really am going to miss it. It’s a nice car, easy to drive, and it’s mine! I am looking forward to not having to worry about parking and paying for gas, but still, I love the independence that comes with my car.
• Mexican food – yes I will be living in the land of great food, but I grew up in California with a love for the Americanized version of the cooking style. Burritos, tacos, nachos can all be made in France, but not to the same level. Just like quality French food can’t be made here, but it’s just not the same. It seems like I just can’t win!
• My family killing spiders for me – yes I am pathetically afraid of spiders. And yes I have my family kill them for me. But that won’t be possible anymore. At least in college, when friends were over they could deal with it for me. And at work my kids usually got so excited that they could deal with it. But next year I will truly be on my own. And it scares me.
• Hot dogs – my food of choice, oh how I will miss a quality hot dog. Yes, I will enjoy all the different types of sausages in France because they are all fantastic. So maybe this isn’t something that I will miss, just something that I am going to replace.
• Speaking the language fluently – Ok so maybe I speak a little French, but it is not up to par. I am going to miss immediately understanding something, without having to research it late or asking someone to explain it to me. Hopefully I pick it up fast, if not I will have to take quite a few trips to the UK.
• California weather – I think this is a case of “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.” I could have cared less about this weather growing up. The warm summers, mild but sometimes-rainy winters, and the perfect temperatures of spring and fall. But France is not like that. I might even get snow! (That is excitement by the way) But I will miss not having to worry about humidity, the constant rain, and how quickly it gets dark in the winter. I can probably kiss my tan goodbye.
• My proximity to the beach – Paris isn’t that close to the beach, and I am not very excited about hopping on a train, going to the beach, then getting on the train again, but this time all sandy. No thank you. And the beach is cold over there compared to here. I know that the Northern California beaches are cold, but not to me. But that English Channel is iceberg water compared to here. I guess this summer is time to soak up that last bit of California sun.
• Quality deli sandwiches – no I am not talking about my archenemy Subway, I am talking about those locally owned delis that have amazing sandwiches. If there is anything that I love more than hot dogs it is a good sandwich, with avocado, always with avocado. The bright side of France is that I will at least have the quality that I am looking for; I will just have to search for it.

Bolinas Hiking Trail and Beach, California