Six Days Til Home

In six days, I will be home. While I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience here in Argentina, I cannot wait to go home. I was thinking about it yesterday, and there are so many things at home that I miss. I decided to compile a list. So, here goes:

1-I miss my husband! He is my best friend, and I miss not holding him and kissing him every day. While we are typically apart from each other for a few days at a time because of his work, three weeks has been too long!

2-I miss my puppy dog! I miss having her greet me when I come home. I miss snuggling with her and I miss watching her play out in the yard.

3-I miss baseball with my son. Every time I call home and he and my husband are watching a game or going to a game, I miss being there. Who would have thought that I would miss America's pastime so much!

4-I miss stop signs. Here in Argentina there are a few stop signs at some intersections, but it is not mandatory for drivers to stop at intersections.

5-Along with number 4, I miss pedestrian right-of-way. Here when a car is turning in to your path, you had better run, because cars won't yield to you.

6-I miss the presence of police. At night, you can't find them. If you are robbed, you're out of luck. The police do nothing. As a matter of fact, I have only seen one policeman since I have been here. I've also heard stories about the corruption within the police department. The pay is low, so bribes and "tips" are most welcomed.

7-I miss clothes dryers! Here in Argentina only the laudry mats use them. If you want to dry your clothes, you hang them. And with the humidity here, it can take up to three days for a pair of jeans to dry. Even then they feel damp.

8-I miss vegetables! They're not a big part of the Argentine diet. The diet consists predominantly of meat and potatoes. Carne con papas. Sometimes you might have onions or peppers with your meat, but that's about the extent of the vegetable servings.

9-I miss the Humane Society and Animal Control. They don't believe in spaying and neutering animals here, and there are stray dogs everywhere.

10-I miss clean air. The exhaust fumes here are awful, and most of the white buildings are gray from pollution. Some of the cars on the road here are older than I am, and that's pretty darn old! Apparently there are no emissions regulations.

In short, I believe I am ready to go home. It's been fun, but, I think it's time for the fiesta to be over.