Thursday, December 6th
When I used to come home from college for the holidays or summer vacation my mom always planned a day of pampering for me. This included facials (to heal my skin from the brutal Maine weather), haircuts and highlights (it’s tough to stay blonde in Maine!), pedicures (needed when going from boots to sandals), and massages (to fix that study induced shoulder shrug).
Well coming home from China has been no different. Yesterday my mom scheduled a haircut and facial and I feel like a new person! I’m still scrubbing away the last of that China pollution. Too bad the Florida weather has been a little less than sunny.
But the air is clean and cool and everything is quiet. Now here’s a list of what I’m loving now in the United States.
10 Things I Love About America
1. I can hop in my car and drive whenever I want, wherever I want
2. No crowds!
3. Everybody is so polite!
4. No need to maneuver around spit on the streets
5. People actually wait in line. Say what?
6. It is easy to understand labels, ingredients, and signs in grocery stores
7. Nighttime is actually quiet and dark
8. I can breathe! Hello fresh air…
9. I can drink from the tap! (and it doesn’t taste like toilet water)
10. No censorship! I now have unlimited access to Youtube, Twitter, Hulu, Netflix, WordPress, and news articles from across the world!
I have to say that suddenly having all these luxuries in America makes me so incredibly grateful for what we have in this great country. Living in China makes me appreciate it so much more. But while it is nice and easy in America, I actually look forward to the challenge of living in South East Asia once again. It pushes me out of my comfort zone and makes me appreciate life!
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world. You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.” – Woodrow Wilson
Well said. When living abroad, you definitely go beyond simply “making a living”. Everyday you meet unique challenges that change your perspective, engage your mind, and enrich your inner self.
By enriching your self, you enrich the world you live in.
Kirsten Captures 