Unfortunately since I am leaving in the summer, that is when the plane tickets back to Los Angeles are at the high point, so there is no way of getting around the high flight prices. I will say that despite me waiting until the last minute to book my flight home, I am glad I didn't book it before I came.
Before you leave to study abroad, you have all these exciting thoughts in your head about what your roommates are going to be like, how the locals will be, how the food will taste, and how much you're never going to want to leave.
For some people, you might get exactly what you hoped for, but for me, I was way off. Now that my flight is booked and I have three weeks left here in the Netherlands, the excitement of leaving is way too real. I keep thinking about everything I miss! Here is my list of things I miss, and you might miss too when you are away:
- My boyfriend. If you have a significant other that you are leaving at home, you really miss them! I have been away from my boyfriend for just about 6 months, and I cannot wait to be reunited with him!
- Iced tea. Oh my gosh if you are anything like me and drink iced tea like it is going out of style, you might just lose your mind like I have! Iced tea does not exist here in Europe. Yes, you can see it on the menu's of restaurants, but I warn you now, it isn't what you think it is; it's fizzy and tastes like lemon and is not good.
- Free water. Anywhere you go here in Europe, you are going to pay €2,00 for a tiny glass of water. With that being said, my best advice to you is to bring a water bottle with you abroad, and bring it everywhere you go. Fill it up at home and then take it on the go. If not, then you will overpay for water.
- Fast food. You know it is funny because there are McDonalds and Burger Kings spread out across the Netherlands, but when you are here and you are just craving Wendy's or even Taco Bell...it can make you really miss home.
- Mexican food!! I am a SoCal girl born and raised, so Mexican food is always on the menu. Here in the Netherlands, there is nowhere you can get a burrito, taco, or anything south of the boarder. I made the mistake of ordering "Mexican food" in Copenhagen, and they put Indian curry in the sauce. Talk about disappointment!
- Lucky Charms cereal. Does this really need explaining?
- Big cups of coffee. In the Netherlands, there is only a Starbucks at the Centraal Station. So, when you need a coffee, you go to a cafe. Don't get me wrong, sitting at a cafe is great and all, but boy do I miss that big cup of coffee that costs the same price as these tiny cups!
- Driving my car. It is nice not having to worry about paying for gas, or getting a parking permit to park anywhere, but not driving for six months makes me miss my car! I already know that when I return, I am going to have to practice a bit behind the wheel.
- The idea of being home. Just thinking of home, you think of everything. You think of how you grew up, home cooked meals, school, your favorite store, and more. So just the idea of being back in your environment makes you happy.
It is funny because since I have been abroad, all of my friends here in the Netherlands claim they understand what I am going through when I have a bad day, or I am just so frustrated because living life is so much more difficult than back in the USA. But when it all comes down to it, it isn't easy. Life really is more convenient back home in America. But it is only 6 months of your life that you are somewhere different, experiencing something that makes you feel uncomfortable.
I already know that when the time comes for me to leave my home here in Breda, I am going to miss it. I will miss it all. Miss the buildings, miss the bikes, miss Bagels and Beans, and even my room. The Netherlands has become my second home, but boy am I glad to go back to my first home.
This is so interesting to read, I'm from the Netherlands and moved to the UK, but most of the things that you mention you can't find are actually the things I miss from Holland, haha, so not sure where you went, but you must have missed out here and there.
ReplyDeleteIced tea is everywhere and without bubbles for sure (can't find it that easy here in the UK and it's all so full of sugar), Water is definitely free everywhere if you order tap, not bottled water of course (dutch tap water is the best in the world so almost no-one buys bottled water), Mexican food is also everywhere (maybe not in Breda I guess? But in Amsterdam for sure, can't find it easily here in London, just at this one chain, so we make it ourselves like we did mostly in Holland anyway, the supermarket it full of it). Coffee, we don't just order at Starbucks, why would you when you can pay half at any other place you go, all stations have a shop selling this on the go for way less (maybe no frappa-whappa-whatever coffee, but the Dutch drink it black mostly or maybe just a cappuchino anyway :))
I find here in the UK that a lot of people are really focused on chains for their coffee/lunch and such (there is starbucks/nero/pret/costa and a couple of others) I think that is a lot less like that in Holland, it's more the kiosks at the station or little supermarkets that we go to instead. Think we cook more at home than eating (definitely at lunch time) out in general.
I definitely recognize missing things from home, I guess everyone has that when moving abroad. We also lived in Sydney before and missed things from Holland, but then we came back and it was the other way around :D So enjoy while you still can, you'll miss it when you get back :)
All the best!