13 months and counting... if I could go home. This is what I would want.

13 months. 13 months, and counting.

That is how long it has been since I have been home in the US, and unfortunately I do not know when I will be able to go home next time. I think this is the longest time I have ever been away from home, even when we lived in China. Hopefully we will be home next summer, but that means it will nearly have been two years since I have set foot on American soil, since I have seen my friends, since I have been home.

Luckily, thankfully, all of my family came to visit this past summer here in Sweden, and we had a great summer! (I will post about that soon).

Today a classmate in my Ancient Chinese course asked me what it is that I miss about the US, since I told him that right now I feel homesick for home. I could not explain it. What do I miss? And so I started thinking. Except for family, which is a given, little things are on my mind. I would answer my classmate's question with a string of examples of things that "I want:"

• I want to spend two hours (at least) in Target. I would check greetings cards, the grocery department, toys, frames, organic vegetarian toaster pastries, affordable children's bubble bath, (unlike the prices in Sweden) etc. I just want to go to Target. On the phone I just joked with Danell that perhaps Target should sponsor me to come over and shop there.
• I want to sit in a Starbucks, drink a latté, listen to the music, and watch people go by.
• Although I LOVE my local English Bookshop in Uppsala, Sweden, when I go home I always go to Barnes. I love looking around Barnes and Noble--I love the smell of the books, the educational children's toys, the calendars, and again, the coffee shop inside.
• I want to go to a movie with my sister. (And yes, if there is nudity, I will probaby cover her eyes like when we went to Sex and the City).
• I want to go out to eat at the Olive Garden with Danell and Stephanie, because we had so much fun last time we went.
• I want to see my godson Erik, and see how grown up he is getting (Kindergarten already?!)
• I want to visit Dave and Erin and hopefully try some of Dave's homemade pumpkin beer and otherwise just hang out.
• I want to go to my tiny hometown of Fertile, MN, where people wave when you walk down the street and where people know me. I want to go to my home church.
• I want Yaminah to play with her cousins Kiera and Colin, because I know they would have a blast now.
• I want a bagel with cream cheese, vegetarian taco pizza from Happy Joe's, and everything pumpkin.
• I want to go out to the Inn at Maple Crossing for a nice supper with Mom and Bruce, since we always dress up and make an occasion out of it.
• I would want to see the brilliant fall colors when we visit Dad in Duluth (and go to the Scenic Café for lunch and of course, a camping trip!)
• I want to visit my friends Marisa and Kelly, to reminisce about living together in college, and to catch up.
• I would want to go Christmas shopping at home, including at the Mall of America. I would spend a full day there.
• I want to sit at Sarah and Scott's and read lots of magazines, and have a fun get-together like we usually do with everyone, including Beth, Rachel, Josh, Dave, Erin, Sar, Scott, and whichever friends could attend (Travis, Marshall, Marisa?)
• I want to take a walk around Augsburg, my college, and hear my old choir sing a concert.
• I want Yaminah to spend time with her godparents Darin and Brandi and Sarah and Scott.
• I want to go out to a restaurant for a traditional American brunch. Bring on the maple syrup!
• Etc.

In short, I wish I could go home now. But, we are busy, and normally I don't sit around and think about the things that I want. We have a great life here in Sweden, and like I said, normally I do not spend time sitting around, thinking about what I would want to do.

But tonight I did. So there it is; to answer my classmate's question, this is what I want.