When you move to another country for an extended amount of time, you prepare to miss your mom and dad, your sister and your best friends. You prepare to miss your grandparents, your aunts, uncles, and cousins. But you don’t really prepare yourself to miss the mundane, the routine, the simplest aspects of your former life. So here are a few aspects of the mundane that have left holes in my heart, that I’m hoping to soon be able to fill up with a growing fondness of Colombia.
Driving.
I miss the hour-long drive up I-26 from downtown Charleston to the little swampy towns where my family lives. I miss singing while stuck in 5 O’clock traffic. I miss hopping in my car and driving to Folly Beach on a whim, and getting lost on back roads when I need time to think.
Dive Bars.
I’ve found that the drinking culture is a little different here. There is almost no such thing as just a few beers with friends, or a glass of wine with dinner. So the bars that exist here are either nightclubs or billiards halls (the latter of which where women are generally not welcomed). So, there are not many grungy dive bars, and I miss my grungy dive bars. I miss 2:00 A.M. tater tots at Rec Room on a Saturday night. I miss obscure bands and Karaoke nights at Burns Alley. I miss midnight skeeball and foosball and making friends with strangers.
(Extra photos because I really miss these vibes)
Sunsets at Alberta Sotile Lake.
I miss my secret sunset spot a few blocks from my old apartment, right across from the harbor. I miss filling a bag with snacks and local beer and watching the sky turn neon with friends. I miss turning up the music and dancing on the dock. I miss counting the fish jump out of the water and watching for little crabs.
Baths.
Baths have always been a big deal for me, and here my showers are always cold, and sometimes with buckets, as the water goes out often. I miss long, hot baths. I miss bath bombs and bubbles and candles.
Long walks at night.
I miss walking home alone, or with a friend or two, from Upper King street at night. I miss late-night walks to the Battery (harbor-side park in Charleston) . I miss the peace and the solitude, and the absence of catcalls and street harassment. I miss the feeling security in the city. I miss feeling like I belong.
