Appreciating Home for Christmas

It was such a treat to be home for Christmas!  I knew the time would fly by, but it was great to see friends and family and enjoy San Diego.  It is amazing that in such a short period you learn to appreciate everything at home.  From my comfortable bed, to the ocean while I was home I just soaked it all in.  I watched the beautiful San Diego sunsets every chance I had, I enjoyed American breakfasts as much as possible, and noticed the nice weather each day (even though everyone there thought it was sooooo cold).  If nothing else, living somewhere like Europe has made me appreciate everything and everyone at home.  I went back to visit at SSF on Friday and realized how "at home" I feel.  I felt like a celebrity seeing all of my students from last year and previous years.  Being there only reminded me of how much I liked working there and solidified my thoughts about coming back next year.  Part of the reason I miss home is living here for a short period I am not able to settle in as much as I'd like.  If I am only here  a year, I'm trying not to accumulate that much stuff, since I will be shipping most of it home.  While it was great to be in San Diego, it also made me gain a new perspective and appreciate the opportunities that living in Europe provides.  It's an amazing experience and over the next 6 months I'm just going to try to reap all the benefits and enjoy the time here.  Luckily, I have a lot of visitors coming and exciting trips planned!