Before I left Mussoorie and India , I blogged the Top 12 things I was looking forward to in return to Minnesota!!! Here are the Top 12 things and if I did them or not!!!:)
12. DAVE AND BUSTER'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
11. DRIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
10. DULUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
9. LAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HALF CHECK!!!!!!! (Wanted to do Polar Plunge, but no opportunity!)
8. BAGELS, JAMBA JUICE, AND FRUIT YOGURT!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
7. A BILLION TYPE OF CEREAL AND FRUIT CHOICES AT CUB FOODS!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
6. FROZEN NOSTRILS AND SNOT OUTSIDE!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
5. RUNNING 5K AND 10K RACES IN THE COLD WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
4. MINNESOTA SCENERY/FLAT GROUND!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
3. SNOW AND COLD FOR 5 WEEKS!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
2. CHRISTMAS WITH REAL TREES AND LEFSE!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
1. FAMILY AND FRIENDS I HAVEN'T SEEN FOR 1 1/2 YEARS!!!!!! CHECK!!!!!!!
Now with that being said, there are a couple things I have really put in to perspective over break and probably the second most significant thing is where home is for me (the first significant thing stays with me)!!! With no doubt Minnesota will ALWAYS have a "home" spot in my heart!!! But as I've been home for 4 weeks now and lived the lifestyle of Minnesota and the US, I just don't fit in with it anymore!! Comparing that to Mussoorie's lifestyle of walking EVERYWHERE, not needing to drive unless going South, altitude training (BIG bonus), plethora of hiking opportunities right out my front door, a scenery no one can get sick of, friends living within walking distance, healthy eating up the wazoo, and the list goes on, being back here doesn't compare!!! I guess to truly understand this blog post you need to have lived in both worlds!! Living in both worlds for a significant amount of time (yes, 1 1/2 years in India to me is significant) and having no one back in Minnesota except those who used to work at Woodstock can even begin to understand what I am talking about, which really kind of stinks!!! Because you would DEFINITELY understand this post a lot more if you spent at least 2 weeks in Mussoorie!! I love love LOVE Minnesota winters, and if Mussoorie had winters like Minnesota I don't think I would EVER move back, not saying that I'm moving back anytime soon however!!!:) Before I left, I heard people say, "Oh I hated being back in the states and couldn't wait to come back to India!" Well I am in NO way saying I hated being back here!! I love being back!! But like I said before, this lifestyle just isn't the life for me anymore!!! I loved seeing family, friends, and old stomping grounds/running routes, but it's going to be GREAT to be back in Mussoorie!!:) Getting back into old routines and seeing familiar faces once again!!! YES, especially a certain someone who I've missed for 4 weeks now and counting!!!:) Which literally would be an entire post on it's own about how much I've missed SC!!!! Literally!!! But as for now home is Mussoorie, and how long will that be home I don't know!! Time will tell and it could be a 5 years or it could be 20+, I just don't know how the future will turn out!!!! All I know right now is it has been awesome to be back in Minnesota and really get a grip on what is important in my life, where I see the future heading, and of course to see FAMILY and FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!:) I'm getting the same home sick type feelings in Mussoorie I had before I left for Minnesota, so that right there has been a BIG deciding factor on where true home is for me!!! Home is where you make it, and home right now is Mussoorie, India!!!!!:) We'll see where the next 10 years lead!!!! I know these past 10 have been incredible!!!!!!!!!! Gone from starting my high school career as a sophomore at Shako to currently a PE teacher/CC Coach at Woodstock!!! Can't get any better than that!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well it can, but that's for another time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) HAPPY SMILING AND HOPE YOU ALL KNOW WHERE HOME IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT'S BEEN FUN MINNESOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):!)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:!)!:!):):):)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):)
