10 things I missed about being away from home
I love New Zealand. We all know that. The country is so much like Canada and although it was certainly a change and overwhelming at first, it’s a place I want to be. I’m for sure still on a travel high considering it was my first big ‘trip’ away and I am itching to get on a plane, there are definitely things I missed about home and being away
- Samson!!
This is a given but obviously my horse is number one (sorry mom). This 4 legged creature is my child. I bought him 13 years ago. I trained him, riding 5 to 6 days a week. We competed together. I’ve been his only rider… He knows I’m mummy.. Ya it’s not easy leaving my guy. I did come back to find him happy and healthy!
2. Family and friends
Also, a given! Nothing is like being able to physically hug your mom and dad or sit down with your best friend, wine in hand and not stop talking until the wee hours of the night. Technology is amazing for communication but it’s just not the same
3. Tim Hortons!
I am a tea jenny, through and through. Tim Horton steeped tea, 1 sugar, 2 cream. $1.80 for a LARGE cup. In a drive through. Yes please. NZ.. not so much on any of that except the sugar. They don’t really do the drive through coffee shops it seems. Their tea is good but they really only offered me milk not cream (maybe not such a bad thing). They also only offered me a little cup for about 3 times the price. I need a whole seperate budget just for a buying tea on the go!
4.Bagels!
It’s not that NZ doesn’t have bagels, but it’s like $7.50 NZD for 4 of them and there’s like 3 flavours to choose from. It’s hard for a bagel lover such as myself. It’s even harder road tripping and not a single bakery I found served bagels! It’ a real problem! Maybe just as well. I feel like I couldn’t afford them anyways.
5. In other foods- kraft dinner, perogies and cheese whiz.
All foods that are probably terribbbllleeee for you so I should be thanking NZ for not having them in stock but sometimes you just have to have that comfort food, or quick whip up meal and these are my go toos ( KD is really only one in a while, I swear)
6. Clothing, fuel and book prices
It’s not true that you pay $8 for a jug of milk in NZ, not where I was living anyways. And rental costs weren’t like double the price either but there were essential things that I just cringed buying or didn’t really buy at all. Textiles turned out to be pretty expensive and my desire to shop for clothes for myself wasn’t really non existent. I bought books only if there was a sale on a sale and I never actually filled my car right up. I never wanted to know the fill price. I won’t be complaining about our 99 cent/litre fuel here anymore especially compared to their $2 something.
7. Country music!
Can I get a yehaw! seriously, Sunday night country tune is not enough New Zealand.
Dauphin’s Countryfest- Luke Bryan!
8. Screens!
Screens keep disgusting bugs like spiders out of your house.. need I say more? NZ get some screens!!
9. Warm summer nights
It gets humid here in Manitoba but for someone who is ALWAYS cold, I really missed the warmth long after the sun went down. With that said, in MB wintertime I’ll be saying I miss anywhere that’s warm!
10. Familiarity
Something we all take for granted. Things like setting up a bank account, getting a driver’s license, learning to drive on the other side of the road.. simple things we have all set up at home was all a process to now obtain. I had to take my GPS everywhere, warrant for a car? what’s that, best place to buy a new tire?, cheapest place for groceries, where not to shop.. little things I know but it really is nice to be home not have to google everything for what I need. There’s a satisfying feeling of ease being home and doing all the things I used to do.
Have you been living abroad or stayed away from your home for a while? What did you miss? What Canadianess have I missed?