Missing the Little Things While Overseas

I like living here in Qatar but there are some things that I really miss, that I never thought I would.  Before moving abroad take some time to enjoy some of your favorite things (outside of the obvious things like family, friends, etc…).  Here are some of the not so obvious things that I miss in no particular order.

• The Kroc– a community center located in the north Philly section of Philadelphia.  It has a fitness center, pools, water park, chapel and more there.  My family and I went there at least once a week.  I frequented it more as my schedule was very flexible last year.  I attended several of the fitness classes: yoga, pilates, tabata, etc.  I enjoyed swimming laps and lifting weights there.
• Sitting on my steps/front porch, enjoying a beer or glass of wine watching the cars go by.  My compound is small here and on a back street so we don’t get much action. This is a good thing and a boring thing.
• Shopping at my favorite stores: TJ Max, Home Goods, Macys, Target. Oh how I miss you guys.
• Corner stores: Wawa, 7-Eleven
• The food- A few of my favorites: Little Delicious is a Caribbean restaurant located on Woodland Avenue in Philly.  It’s a hole in the wall but the food is so good.  I miss the curry goat, ox tails, rice and peas, cabbage and jerk chicken.  All The Way Live is a Vegan restaurant located in the Germantown section of Philly.  I found out about this place just before I left as I began to make the vegan transition.  It is owned by the mother of an associate of mine, it is true vegan food and it is delicious.  Atlantic Ocean Lobster and Snow crab legs, bought right from the market and home-cooked just the way I like it, by hubby himself.
• My car, my sweet, red Valentine.  I recently paid it off and haven’t even driven it since.  That’s me and Valentine in the featured image above.
• Hearing music blasting from the car next to me and blasting my own favorite jams as I cruise down the highway with my windows open enjoying the FRESH air (well fresher than here anyway)
• The ease of knowing where everything is that I love and enjoy
• Scenery- Everything looks the same here, brown, dry and dusty except for the buildings down town.  I miss the mix.  I miss going to the Poconos, getting a room and enjoying outside activities like the shooting range, ATV’s etc..

• Road trips to another state- Without applying for a visa and driving to another country, there is no where to drive outside of Qatar.  In the U.S., the family and I would load of the car and hit the road.  We could be in another state in under 30 minutes.  It may not have been far but we felt like we had gotten away.

I would love to hear from my readers: What do you miss about your home country or what do you think you will miss?

Author: phillygirl77

I've lived my whole life in Philadelphia. Daughter of a teacher, I later became one myself. When I heard about teaching overseas, I jumped feet first. Finally told yes, my two boys and I prepared for our new life abroad. Join us on our journey in Qatar! View all posts by phillygirl77