December trip to America is BOOKED!

We are counting down the days until we arrive back in the wonderful, English speaking, Starbucks crowded, over-polluted (so the French say) land of America! I can't believe it's only a month and a half away, which means we have already been here for almost two months!

Here is the itinerary:

So please please please if you will be in any of these cities when we will, let us know!

Not that I don't have my own agenda... We try really hard not to be too homesick here, to only think of home when we are not missing it. It's a tricky subject. How does one find the balance of enjoying the moment, the life we have right now, but still remembering and cherishing everything and everyone we left behind? It is easy, when we face struggles here (which is daily) to wish ourselves back in the simple and familiar life. But it is not constructive. On the other hand, refusing to remember things we love at home, because they bring about a longing we cannot soothe, is not good choice either. So we limit ourselves. We limit our phone calls to when we are already in good moods, and contact with home won't double the desire to be there. And we remind each other why we are here, and all of the positives that will come from this, eventually. A couple of weeks ago I also started a list. Every time I found myself missing something from home, I made a note. This way, I can remove it from my head, and when it's time to go home, I have a list of all the things I wanted but couldn't have while away! This doesn't work for everything of course, I cannot have my old, organized, plenty-of-counter-space kitchen back, but I can have some things!

Here's what I have so far:

1. Lattes - from Starbucks or otherwise. I have found the land where Starbucks does not exist.

2. TexMex. Torchys Tacos, Chuys, here I come!

3. English television. We don't have a single English speaking channel here. Not one.

4. Macaroni and Cheese.

5. Enjoying shopping, in stores I already know and love (Nordstroms).

6. Catching up with friends. This is obvious, but worth mentioning.

7. Holidays and traditions. We already missed Halloween entirely, and if we don't get an apartment soon, we will miss Thanksgiving too. I am terrified I won't have my own place in time to decorate for Christmas. But at least we will be HOME for it!

8. Half Price Books. I'm bringing an extra suitcase for this.

Needless to say, it will be nice to back in America for a few days, and have a little break from the French life. 43 days and counting!