America for Me

I know I wasn't in Europe for a long time and I am really anxious to go back. But I think this trip has solidified my patriotism and love for the US of A. When I was a girl I had to memorize poems for school. One of them was called America for Me by Henry Van Dyke. I LOVED this poem as a kid and had no problem memorizing it quickly. I dreamed of one day going to visit all the places this poem talked about then coming home and flying over the Statue of Liberty (I also dreamed I would live in NYC, I'm not to far off from that I guess.) As I was packing to go back home I was thinking about the time I had spend in Europe and how much fun it had been. Then I was thinking of all the things I was excited to get back home to. That is when this poem popped back in my head.
 

"

'Tis fine to see the Old World and travel up and down
Among the famous palaces and cities of renown,
To admire the crumbly castles and the statues and kings
But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things.

So it's home again, and home again, America for me!
My heart is turning home again and there I long to be,
In the land of youth and freedom, beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.

Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air;
And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome;
But when it comes to living there is no place like home.

I like the German fir-woods in green battalions drilled;
I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled;
But, oh, to take your had, my dear, and ramble for a day
In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her sway!

I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack!
The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.
But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free--
We love our land for what she is and what she is to be.

Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea,
To the blessed Land of Room Enough, beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars. "

-Henry Van Dyke

 I got goosebumps thinking that I had just visited almost every place the poem talks about, that I has fulfilled a long time childhood dream of mine. I did it. I say I did it because I really did. Almost every penny we spent on this trip came from money I earned at my second job, babysitting. I started my babysitting job last April. We had just gotten back from our Cruise and had spent all out "play money" for the year. My family was planning to go to FL in June and we knew we needed some extra cash to play when we got down there. I had just quit another babysitting job a month before because I had finally been offered a full time position at PTPS. I was loving my 7-4 schedule and not anxious to give up my evenings again. But I got right on it and found a great family. I planned on being there probably through the summer and then maybe ending it because of my busy work schedule. Well almost 18 months later and I am still there. I am way busier than I want to be but I love the family/kids and I love building my "travel fund." When I told Mike my plan to keep working to save money for Europe he was on board.

In the spring when I added grad classes to the mix I was really over my head. I remember calling Mike one night after a rough day sitting and saying "I am not babysitting come the fall. This is all way to much, I am so overwhelmed." School starts next week and I have no intention of leaving those cute kids. They've got me hocked. Anyways, the point was I set a goal, and I made it happen. Yay me. I am very proud of myself.

On a side note, for the sake of my own personal records

Things I missed about America while I was away:
MY CELL PHONE (that one about killed me)
Being on the same time zone as my family and friends
Free refills on water
Ice
American salad dressing (especially Ranch dressing)
Mayo
Free access to public bathrooms
Being able to understand what everyone was saying
The dollar (verses the higher exchange rate for Euro and GBP)
Personal hygiene being taken as seriously as most of us do in the states. 

The things I will miss about being in Europe:
French yogurt
baguettes
Rotisserie chickens
Frozen french pastries (like tarts with tomatoes and basil are so much better then fresh ones in than states.)
chocolate croissants
Italian food
Gelato
English/French/Swiss chocolate
Rich history
Cheese -We have some of the same cheese but it is expensive because they import it from France (example: Boursin cheese.)