Winding Down

Wow, I can’t believe my time over here is almost done. It seems like just yesterday I was struggling to get the toilets working and figure out how to stay warm in my new bed! I remember arriving here the first day and being totally overwhelmed. Wondering how I would ever get used to public transportation and the different language. It is weird how familiar the sound of the Dutch language has become to me, I say sound because I know very little of it, but upon coming back to the Netherlands from one of my many trips abroad, hearing the Dutch language feels strangely at home. While I still have not gotten used to biking everywhere, the weather here is finally allowing some enjoyment to arise out of it. I know I am going to miss this place so much when I finally do get back to normal life. The Visser family has been so good to me, I have begun to feel as a part of their family, and I am sure in a little over a week when I hop on that plane to head back to the states I will not be saying goodbye but merely see ya later., perhaps tot straks. No matter the case, I am sure I will always have times when I yearn to return, and I am equally as confident that at some time I will in fact return. Yet, right now I am also excited to head home: to return to the familiar which has now almost become unfamiliar, and to no longer see home through the computer screen in e-mails and MSN. Therefore I have created a small list of things I am most excited for.

English (knowing when someone is mocking you)
My Jeep (to finally run over my bike)
MacGyver (no reason needed)
Movies (I have never gone this long without a movie theater before!)
Mellow Yellow (Over here they think it is the same as 7up!)
Free Refills
The Sun (The Dutch don’t believe in it, and because of that it doesn’t exist over here. Some people think that is impossible, but the Dutch also didn’t believe the ocean was actually there, and viola, dry land! Need I say more?)
Work (I feel like a lazy shlub for not working for the past 4 months)
Barnes & Nobles
Starbucks
Krispy Kreme
Hot Tub
My sister’s puppy chow (That better be made for me [NOT JUSTIN] when I get back danget!)
Pancakes (real ones, thick ones layered with brown sugar)
Dominoes deep dish pepperoni and onion pizza
A fat slab of grilled steak (I was told they don’t grill here because they think it smells bad and don’t want to make the neighbors smell it, no lie!)
3 distinct meals (Breakfast and Lunch here consist of the same things)
Disc Golf
My own room (no matter how hospitable the Visser’s have been, I still don’t feel like it is MY place. That is probably a good thing:-)

Wow, it looks like my list largely concerns food. No wonder American’s are heavier, we just have better stuff than they do over here I guess :-) Well that is just a short little list and I am sure that after a few weeks back home a new list will arrive discussing the things I miss most about the Netherlands. Dustin can never be content I guess.