seekingmygreaterperhaps

Today marks the point in my journey where I have exactly 3 weeks left until I step foot on American soil again. Not going to lie, I’m pretty excited. However I still have some awesome places to go, so I’m sure the time will fly by, as it has done this whole trip.

However, now I’d like to take some time to give you 2 lists of 5: 5 things I miss about America and 5 things Europeans nail.

*Drumroll please*

5 Things Michaella Misses About America:

1. Blueberry pancakes. For some reason every time I go abroad, these are the food that I crave. Do I eat blueberry pancakes very often while I’m home? No. But here all I think about are these sweet stacks of blueberry goodness.

2. Being able to eavesdrop on people. This is my favorite hobby, ask anyone who has tried to engage me in conversation but I’ve been listening to other people. While in Europe, I can’t understand anything because everyone speaks a different language. Come on people- you’re harshing my vibe- I want to be nosy and all up in your business.

3. All of the clothes sitting unused in my closet. No- I don’t consider myself a materialistic person. Normally I wear the same outfits on repeat. But here I don’t have the choice. My wardrobe is limited to the same pair of jeans and about 5 shirts on rotation. You may be thinking- then go shopping! Oh great plan. It’ll all fit super snug in my backpack and then my budget is (even more) blown. Sarcasm aside- I miss variety.

4. Being able to do nothing for a day and not feel guilty. Back home again in Indiana, I don’t always feel the need to “do” something with my day, because I’ve seen the sights and know the haps. Unfortunately, I can’t do that here. It’s a blessing that I am able to explore new cities all the time and eat new things and make friends- but it’s tiring. No Netflix marathons for me here.

5. Already knowing the customs and the currency. By switching countries as often as I am, that also means I have to relearn the culture every time I go somewhere. Often times they have new coins that confuse me. Just when I thought I was back to the euro for good… Here comes the Danish currency. Oh you can drink in public in Germany, but not everywhere or you’ll be fined. Lots of mental notes to be made.

Of course I miss my friends and family. That should be so obvious it doesn’t need a number.

Now:

5 Things Europeans Do Better:

1. Public transportation. Hands down. The fact that I can travel by train to literally every single country I want to go to is proof enough. Plus once you get there, there is usually a metro, bus, or tram system- maybe even all 3. America- take some notes because this is awesome.

2. Mom and Pop shops. I have yet to go to a Starbucks or McDonalds on this trip because I haven’t needed to. If I want coffee, there is a local cafe, and if I want cheap food, hey there’s a kebab cart or a hotdog stand. My parents taught me to support local businesses and I’ve been doing my best to do that abroad as well.

3. Hostels. You can stay relatively (or super) cheap in all major cities. They have options for that. Sure you may be sharing a room with strangers who snore or come in late at night, but you have accommodation for like $10. (Some countries are more expensive, obviously.) America doesn’t really offer many of these. In big cities maybe, but you have to pay for a fancy hotel everywhere else.

4. Food. I’m going to say this not because America doesn’t have awesome food- it most definitely does. But here there are specialties for every country. We may have a few regional differences, but it’s easy to find the same food everywhere in America. In Europe, it’s a fun treat when you get to try new local foods. At least that’s the way I see it.

5. Fashion. While this makes me stand out as a tourist, Europeans dress nicer. That’s it. You don’t see anyone wearing leggings (except me- holla) and lots of people have nice footwear. The end result of this is that they generally just look better.

There you have it. My two lists. Both places have their benefits, and both are lovely to live in.

See you in 3 weeks family.