This one is easy, almost too easy. Living half a world away from my family and the place where I grew up means there are a lot of things to miss. In the quiet, quaintness of my small German villiage, often miss the convenience of things like Wal-Mart and the Starbucks drive-thru. I miss the comfort of familiar things like worshiping in my home church and my parents' pup Duke snuggling with me before I get out of bed in the morning.
And while those are perfectly ok things to miss, that's just it - they are things. What I truly miss are my friends and family back home, and the opportunities to simply experience life alongside them.
To be able to go shopping with my mom, watch TV with my dad, or talk in funny voices with my brother while eating whipped cream from a spray can.
To call up a friend who lives an hour away and be able to get together for coffee.
To spend time with my grandparents while they are still relatively young and able to enjoy my company.
To get to know my younger cousins and be involved in the formation of their young lives.
Those are some of the things I truly miss.
