{"id":998,"date":"2013-09-24T16:07:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-24T21:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/kyra\/?p=998"},"modified":"2013-09-24T16:07:00","modified_gmt":"2013-09-24T21:07:00","slug":"10-things-i-miss-about-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.admissions.uiowa.edu\/kyra\/2013\/09\/10-things-i-miss-about-home\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things I Miss About Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

So the unbelievable truth is that I have been in the R.D. for quite some time, 1 month and 3 weeks to be exact, and I can\u00a0 openly say there are some things that I miss back home. I\u2019m an Iowa girl; I like to drive along the highway with my radio up and my windows down looking at all the corn and enjoying the wind in my hair\u2026 that doesn\u2019t translate well into the fume chocked Dominican traffic. In addition to fresh air, below is a list of just a few things I miss about home.<\/p>\n

1.Family, Friends, and the Boyfriend
\n<\/span><\/strong>This one goes without saying. I have some very beautifully spirited people in my life, and the majority of them are not currently in the same country as myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can u not miss a face like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

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By the way, my little princess turned 5 yesterday… Auntie Kyra Misses You!!!! I’m sorry I missed your big day, but I’ll be home soon to shower you with love and gifts!<\/p>\n

2. Fresh Air
\n<\/span><\/strong>\u201cMeanwhile in the DR\u2026\u201d after 3, one and a half hour trips a week, to and from my university, smooshed into an unairconditioned Guaguita* <\/em>with 29 other people (that is 17 more people than the vehicle was manufactured to seat), in 90+ degree weather only to take a big breath of traffic fumes\u2026<\/p>\n

3. Hidden Treasures
\n<\/span><\/strong>Saving a late-night snack? Want a sip of the juice next to your bed? Haha, nope because they\u2019re drinking it and crawlin\u2019 over every inch of your glass; leaving their wittle footprints on the soft chocolate of your candy bar that you were saving for later. Got Snacks?\u00a0 The little ants WILL FIND THEM. #TryToSayThisInOneRantingBreath #StillMadAboutIt<\/p>\n

4. Smelling Like Roses
\n<\/span><\/strong>Wanna know what really doesn\u2019t go well together? Your Sweat, Someone else\u2019s Sweat, Bug Spray, and Your Victoria Secret Perfume. I remember once upon a time when I didn\u2019t have to wear deodorant every day, and when I wore a fragrance-splash and one hour later the pleasing scent was still there. #IStink #SoDoYou<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. TP
\n<\/strong>You are running to the bathroom with your thighs squeezed and your heart racing because after you had way too much\u00a0Chinola<\/em>\u00a0juice you sat in a class for an hour and a half; where students are not permitted reentry after leaving to use the restroom. You get to the bathroom and relieve yourself.\u00a0\u201cThank God!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0whispers your bladder just after cursing your professor\u2019s rules only to look to the north, east, south, and west and see no toilet paper. #NoToiletPaper #TooOften<\/p>\n

6. Wi-Fi
\n<\/span><\/strong>Self-explanatory<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0Walking Wherever I Want After 7pm Without A Man Accompanying Me.
\n<\/strong>I\u2019m not in Iowa anymore.
\n#TheresNoPlaceLikeHome<\/p>\n

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8. Fresh Chocolate Chip Baked Cookies
\n<\/strong>Since I\u2019ve been here I\u2019ve been craving them, and they are nowhere to be found!\u00a0Adem\u00e1s<\/em>, in Spanish class back in the states I was always told that\u00a0galletas<\/em>\u00a0meant cookies. However, the word galletas in the Dominican Republic has so many more meanings than just the sweet baked round bits of heaven that I love and miss so much.<\/p>\n

Gu\u00e1 galleta \u2013<\/em>\u00a0I\u2019m going to smack you.<\/p>\n

Galleta de soda<\/em>– crackers<\/p>\n

Galleta<\/em>– cookie or any other little snack including garlic flavored puff balls<\/p>\n

Galletas<\/em>-crumbs<\/p>\n

Galletas<\/em>-any Little small bread-like snack<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

#GotHappyForNoReason
\n#FalseAdvertisement
\n#WhereMyCookiesAt?<\/p>\n

9. Walking to school without hearing 10+ Comments On My Appearance.
\n<\/strong>Every morning there are a\u00a0 few \u201cregulars\u201d and some randoms who feel the need to address me every morning. Most of the time I hear things like,<\/p>\n

\u201cBuenas Dias Bella\u201d Good Morning Beautiful<\/p>\n

\u201cBuenas Preciosa\u201d –Precious<\/p>\n

\u201cHola Mi Amor.\u201d \u2013My Love<\/p>\n

\u201cHola Mami\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 -_-<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I guess the part that I like about it is the fact that I have almost never walked pass someone during the day that doesn\u2019t acknowledge my presence.\u00a0 However, sometimes in my head I\u2019m thinking\u2026 if you call me \u201cmami\u201done more \u2018gain…<\/p>\n

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10. Free Transportation
\n<\/strong>I have to pay to go to school everyday. I don’t have that many complaints about this because it is super cheap. Just realizing how nice it was to not worry about if you had the correct change in order to go to class back at Iowa. #Don’tAppreciateItUntilItsGone
\nCambus<\/a>, never thought I\u2019d say this\u2026\u00a0te extra\u00f1o.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Some other things that didn’t quite make the top ten.<\/p>\n