There's no place like home

There is a little girl in one of my Elementary classes named Sally who always wears red sparkly shoes. Every time I see them I am reminded of the Wizard of Oz and Dorothy’s red shoes which she clicks together to try to get back home. “There’s no place like home….”

It’s so true.

So these red sparkly shoes got me thinking about all the things I missed from home and the things I cannot wait to return too. I usually don’t let myself think about this, as it will be quite a long time until I am back in North Carolina, and I don’t want to get too sad. But often, it’s the simple things we miss….the mundane boring things we don’t even realize we love until they are no longer available when you move to the other side of the world.  Here are a few things that make that list:

I miss….

1.)    A Microwave and an Oven. And all things that you can make in a microwave and an oven! Boiled potatoes on a stovetop are just not the same as roast potatoes!

2.)    Panera…..good soup….good times. Being sick recently, all I have wanted was a big bowl of Broccoli Cheddar soup, not some spicy noodle concoction that they offer me here in Korea!

3.)    Bathtub. In case you did not know, many of the bathrooms here have the shower directly over the toilet and the drain behind the sink….AKA your entire bathroom gets soaked when you take a shower because there is no tub to catch the water. No tub for convenience, and definitely no tub for relaxation purposes!

4.)    North Carolina weather. It’s already freezing here and its only FALL! I will need some serious winter clothes to get me through these frigid temperatures, since NC winters rarely get below freezing.

5.)    Living in an apartment where killing mosquito’s is not a regular past time. It’s really a sad thing when you are skyping with your Mom and she see’s you jump up from your computer, hears a big clap, and nonchalantly says “Oh another mosquito?” No sense of surprise or concern, just how it is when you live in Korea.

6.)    Good Sushi. Now, you would think that my living in Asia would equal FANTASTIC sushi. Well you are very wrong. They have a Korean version of sushi over here which sometimes has SPAM in it, and is absolutely horrible (if you are a die-hard sushi fan like myself). They also have sashimi restaurants which they consider “authentic sushi”, but no rolls, no saliva filling up your mouth as you see your order coming your way. Japan had fantastic sushi, and I’m sure other countries in Asia will too….but as far as here in Seoul, I have yet to discover a place. Oh it’s not fair, I can’t talk about it….

7.)    Being able to read directions…..whether it’s the hair dye box or the box of rice I am cooking, it would be nice to know what exactly I am supposed to do with it!

8.)    Having a soft comfortable bed. My bed here is so hard, it basically feels like I’m sleeping on the floor. But this has actually come in handy, since I have already slept on the floor a few times in “Korean-style” accommodations. It got me nice and prepared! (trying to be positive here)

9.)    A place where the special needs of children are understood and not ignored. Enough said.

10.)  Refills on prescriptions, instead of return trips to the doctor!

11.) TV!!!!!!!!! Revenge, Grey’s Anatomy, just turning it on and relaxing on the couch. Oh no…. now I miss having a couch…..

12.) And of course, my amazing family, friends, and my sweet loving puppy who I miss every minute of every day!

There are so many things I miss from home, but there are also so many things I love about Korea. The things I love the most are the beautiful places I am seeing and the amazing children I am influencing on a daily basis. To truly make an impact on my new home I have let go of my old home, including all the things I miss about it! But this time next year, I will have all of these things back in my grasp and I am sure I will be making a list of the things I miss about Korea instead of the other way around.

“Your shoes are very beautiful Ms.Nikki,” Sally says to me, the girl with the red sparkly shoes. (I have a pair just like hers that I wear to school sometimes, but they are gold.) I am realizing more and more each day that although there is no place like home, I have a pretty great temporary one right here in Seoul.