There's No Place Like Home

 

I've always been the type to want to try something completely new and step out of my comfort zone.I also  I tend I enjoy my solitude and my time alone. When I had to go to middle school, I chose the school where most of my friends weren't going. When it was time to choose a high school,  I chose to leave the School of the Arts when all of my friends stayed. And finally, when I had to pick a college, I picked Philadelphia -- A place where I had never been to and knew no one. Each time I did well. I never really had problems adjusting. I was hardly ever homesick when I first moved to Philly. I didn't even go home once for my entire 1st semester. I always thought it was funny when my friends frequently went home because I never wanted to. 

There's nothing funny or sarcastic to say in this post, though. I just flat out miss home. Don't get me wrong, the experiences I'm having here are invaluable and I will never forget them but as cliche as it is -- There's no place like home. There's no people like the people you left at home either. I miss my family, even though they get on my nerves when I'm in Rochester. I miss my cat. I miss sitting on Samantha's couch until it got too late for me go all the way back to West Philly. I miss my other friends very much so as well. -- If you're reading this you guys know who you are. I miss Dunkin Donuts coffee. I miss having different kinds of food to eat -- Besides shit fast food, you can only really get Turkish food here. I miss speaking English. I miss being able to watch Netflix. Hell I never thought that I'd say this but I miss school and I miss Philly. I'm not even a month out of undergrad, and I'm steadfastly looking forward to grad school. In regards to Philly, of course I have a list of complaints about it but its what I know. Its where I spent the majority of the past 5 years. Its where I've done a lot of growing up. 

I speak to my parents more than I ever did living in Philly. I watch NBC Nightly News everyday on the internet because it reminds me of home. As I type this, I'm watching The Color Purple because it helps with the homesickness. I go through old pictures on FB. I stay up late because I feel like I'm missing out on the day on the East Coast. This homesickness is real -- Never felt anything like it before. And at times (like on my days off or when I get in my bed at night) the feeling always is amplified. Enough to make you irrationally decide to book a ticket to come home next month.

Like I said before, I'm really enjoying this experience but I really don't know how people become expats. 6 months is just enough for me to experience, live, enjoy, and then make it back to America before I begin to resent the place for not being like home. 

Sorry, if you guys were looking for another laugh but on top of being a sarcastic ass, I also can be quite sentimental and emotional. 

Anyway, I miss you guys. 

Brittany