It's been almost six months to the day since Nick and I decided we were officially not going back to Europe to live (and work!) for another year. Now that I have some distance from it, I figure it is a great time to examine all of the things I miss about living in Europe!
1. Cheap travel. Oh, was travel ever cheap. Routinely I was able to find flights to anywhere in Europe for less than $100, and on my time schedule!
2. The history and culture. It seems like everywhere you turn in Europe, you are learning a new and interesting piece of history. Living in Europe was like being transported back in time and learning from my history books all over again... and the culture!
3. Friends that became family. Because I was so far from family, the friends I made while in Europe truly became family. We celebrated holidays and birthdays together, and made it through tough times together. All said and done, when you are living in another country your relationships deepen and you really learn who your friends are.
4. Visiting new and exciting destinations, constantly. Germany, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Latvia...when you combine a laid-back pace of life with the amazingly cheap travel, I was constantly on the go and exploring a new cultural destination. Each one was different, and each one was amazing.
5. Learning a new language. I'm not fluent in Swedish, and chances are I never will be. However, I loved the daily interactions I would have in Swedish, and trying to deepen my understanding of the language. Back in the U.S., it just isn't as easy to continue learning- although, I am trying!
6. Kebabs. I have a love for kebabs, specifically the kycklingtallrik from Michel's in Karlskrona. This is by far one of my favorite foods in the world, and I cannot wait to get back one day and have it again!
7. Christmas markets. One of the best parts about the holidays in Europe are most certainly the Christmas markets. Personally, my favorite Christmas markets were in Germany...but from my experiences and living vicariously through other's experiences, the Christmas markets everywhere are awesome and have so much to offer!
8. Beautiful architecture. Each and every city that I explored had so many beautiful buildings and architectural details. CONTINUE WITH THIS
9. Basement pubs. I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of my favorite aspects of living in Sweden close to Stockholm was visiting the hole-in-the-wall basement pubs that have existed for hundreds and hundreds of years. To me, there was just something so cool about embracing the atmosphere and feeling the history of these pubs. It just can't be replicated here!
10. The laid-back atmosphere. In Europe, the pace of life just seemed a little bit slower and more relaxed. There was no pressure to move at a million miles an hour, and it was nice to take things a bit slower.
11. Cafes & fika. To go with the laid-back atmosphere, Europe (and Sweden specifically!) has amazing little cafes. In Sweden, we went for "fika" almost daily, and just relaxed over a nice cup of coffee or tea and chatted about life. Fika was such a great mid-day break and way to get out of the house, and I truly miss it!
Being back home in the U.S. has certainly been so wonderful, and I am loving the proximity to friends and family. It is different from my last two years though, and I'll be honest- quite an adjustment. It's part of the reason that things around here have been fairly quiet lately, and it's hard to put into words. But, now that I'm fully adjusted to life back here in the good old U.S., I promise to be around here more! For anyone else that has made the move over to Europe and then back again, what do you miss the most about your European lifestyle?