That list I probably shouldn't start...

But I'll start it anyway.  This is "The List Of All The Things I am Excited For When I Get Back to America!"

1. Family and friends (duh)
2. Hotdogs with hotdog buns, and ketchup
3. My own room, even though my roommate is awesome!
4. Couches, the comfy kind where you can put your feet up and watch a movie and pass out after a long, stressful day, and eat popcorn and drink soda and feel totally at home
5. My bed, full of fluffy pillows
6. Desks, or a place to do homework (not that I really ever get homework here...)
7. Bathrooms with counter space
8. Driving. Especially with the windows down, music turned up, on warm summer nights
9. Going into a restaurant and asking for a piece of pizza and not having to explain five times what you really want*
10. Cooking...without supervision
11. Affordable, crunchy peanut butter (preferably the Jiff kind)
12. Mac and cheese
13. BAGELS (preferably from the Bagel Market), with cream cheese
14. Whole grain bread
15. Non-European electrical plugs
16. Recycling
17. Eating lunch between the hours of 11:30 am - 1 pm
18. Being messy

If I'm lucky, I can make this jar of heaven last 'til May...

In conclusion, half of the list consists of food related items, the other half, household related things.  Let's just say I am VERY VERY EXCITED to be living on my own next fall!

*It's ironic, I suppose: about a month ago I was having a conversation with an American friend about readjusting to life in the USA after our time here.  I confessed how nervous I was to go back home in anticipation of reverse culture shock.  "Nah," he answered, "(when I was home for Christmas) it was so nice to go into a restaurant and order fries with my meal without having to think twice about it. You will love it, and when the time comes, you will be ready to go back."

This conversation happened 3 weeks ago. At that point, I couldn't imagine going back home. And don't get me wrong: I still enjoy the challenge of speaking Spanish on a daily basis.  However....after seeing my family last week and hearing about life back home, I think I will be ready to pack up and head home when the time comes :)

Oh, I almost forgot: my black lab, Sammy!