Top 10 Things I miss about NZ

A week into my American holiday, and I am missing NZ. Here is a list of things I miss: 1. Sunshine- Turns out that all the sun and brightness is like a happy lamp that shines on me. Boston with its snow and rain and winter with thick atmosphere is quite dark. Summer vs winter solstice. 2. Foamy tiny lattes with fancy decorations made in the foam. 3. Flowers- NZ has lots of them in every season. 4. Gym- miss my NZ gym, and don't have time or $ or membership to get guest pass to my old MA gym. I have been doing smaller home workouts and squats with a 23 kg (50 lb) son Ben on my back in the meantime. Not quite the same. Looking forward to getting back to triathlon training. 5. Health food- Turns out that America is the land of sugar, carbs, and huge portions. I miss my Burgen toast and yoghurt and leafy salads. They have those healthy things here in USA, but there are so many more convenience foods that are bad for you. It makes it harder to eat well. 6. Safety- living in NZ I always feel safe, and kids run free. 7. NZ friends- missing my gal pals in Canterbury and wishing you happy holidays. It has been great catching up with my American gal pals and their kiddos have grown up so big. 8. Mr. Purrsalot- my cat is being lovingly taken care of by Natasha, so I am sure he is awesome. 9. Relaxed atmosphere- NZ is a bit slower paced with tea times and holidays. Christmas is ramped up stressful mode in US, with crazy shopping and baking. I bet my NZ friends are kicking back and having a BBQ with Santa. 10. My home abroad- I have begun to think of my life in NZ as my home, so my American holiday in some ways feels a bit foreign to me. Not to mention that I say, "aye "and "no worries " a lot. People must think I am Canadian. As a expat, you come back a bit different, so you see your own country and your current home as a bit of both worlds you belong in.