Things I Don’t Miss About Home That I Thought I Would

Posted on 20. Feb, 2011 by in Advice, Other

I’ve been travelling for about 5 months straight now… a pretty freaking long time fo most people in the world. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how well my expectation matched up with the reality of long-term travel. Some things have worked out exactly how I planned, and other’s not so much. One thing I’ve realized is that I can actually do without a lot of the comforts of home quite easily. Much more easily than I could have anticipated.

Things that I Surprisingly Do Not Miss:

My travel uniform

  • My wardrobe- At home I had a lot of clothes- something for every possible occasion and then some. Now, I consider myself a fashion success if I don’t wear the same t-shirt three days in a row. If we conveniently ignore my fashion freak out last week, downsizing to an absolutely tiny wardrobe has been no problem at all. I barely even notice anymore.

  • Wearing make-up- On a similar note, I used to wear make-up every single day- to work, to the bars, wherever. Now I might put on a little mascara and eye shadow if I’m going out on the town, but otherwise I am fresh faced every single day. No hair dryers or straightening irons either. And the weird thing is I really don’t think I look any different than I did before.

    I have even LESS stuff now

  • Owning Stuff- This really ties in with the top two. Before I left I was pretty worried with how I would deal with living out of a backpack without all of the amenities I’d been so used to all my life. Turned out it really hasn’t been a big deal. I have the things I need, I find the things I don’t and when it comes down to it- I really don’t need all that much.

    Karaoke in China

  • My Social Life- I super love my friends, and at home I used to go out to happy hours, sporting events and bars on a multi-weekly basis. Nowadays I’m usually too tired, or busy working to go out most nights. But that’s okay, when I DO manage to get out I meet all sorts of interesting new people, instead of being clustered with my friends at the table in the corner. Plus, beer is cheaper here anyway.

    Yummy wantons in Shanghai

  • Western Food- I get the occasional serious Mexican food craving, but usually I’m too busy eating awesome local food to care. Anyways, if I’m seriously jonesing, a slice of pizza is usually not too far away.

    <3

  • Diet Coke- This one’s a cheat- turns out you can find coke products pretty much anywhere in the world, so my addiction can continue unchallenge.

What are some things that you thought you would miss about home, but shockingly have not?

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37 Responses to “Things I Don’t Miss About Home That I Thought I Would”

  1. Monica

    20. Feb, 2011

    Interesting thoughts! I hadn’t realised how much I don’t miss the things that I thought I would until I read this.

    I also don’t miss clothes, make-up, hair straighteners……but it would be nice to wear some clothes that aren’t stained and misshapen!

    I miss dairy products. I find I crave a icy glass of milk! And when I’m tired, hungover or sick, I really miss my bed and my mum. And it sounds terrible, but I really miss nights infront of the TV with a bar of chocolate. Sometimes I splash out on a nice hotel with movie channels so I can do this!

    Reply to this comment

  2. Dave

    20. Feb, 2011

    I agree with Monica about missing my bed at home when I’m sick, hungover, or especially tired. But now that I sold my actual bed out of storage, it’s just the concept I’ll miss. :)

    Reply to this comment

  3. Caroline in the City

    20. Feb, 2011

    I’m with you, but my addiction is regular Coke! Thank God I’ve found it everywhere, but I must admit that it tastes slightly different Down Under.

    I’ve only been gone a month but so far haven’t missed much other than Mexican food, friends and family and having everything in one place. I’m starting to resent having to re-pack everything back into the backpack every few days.

    Hope you’re having a blast!

    Reply to this comment

    • Stephanie

      29. Apr, 2013

      If you’re from the US, the reason it tastes different is because it is sweetened with real cane sugar instead of the high fructose corn syrup that they use over there.

      Reply to this comment

  4. Gillian @OneGiantStep

    20. Feb, 2011

    I loved the freedom of having a very limited wardrobe and find that, now that I’m back home, I still wear a very small portion of my wardrobe. I stopped wearing makeup on the road…and still don’t (except for a little concealer and some lip gloss). I love it! Cheers!

    Reply to this comment

  5. Amanda

    20. Feb, 2011

    I’m actually kind of jealous that you had a good excuse to become liberated from your “things.” But I’m also glad to hear that you aren’t really missing many of those things now that you don’t have them. Crazy how we can get by so little, isn’t it?

    Reply to this comment

  6. Candice

    20. Feb, 2011

    Hahah, hilarious. I noticed the make-up thing about ME too…I don’t bother with it so much on the road, and I still look the same in all my photos…

    Reply to this comment

  7. Lauren Fritsky

    20. Feb, 2011

    It’s funny realizing how much you can live without. I agree on the wardrobe and makeup points.

    Reply to this comment

  8. Connie

    21. Feb, 2011

    I think the biggest change that takes place is our perspective on things. Back home I was much the same. Clothes, not to mention the shoes (oh so many shoes!) for every possible occasion, cabinets full of make up and perfume (it must be mentioned that I hardly wore either one when I was living in NYC either) and the idea of wearing anything twice in a row was enough to induce a mild heart attack. Now, two years on the road later, I put blush on for “fancy” occasions, wash my dingy underwear in the hotel sink before putting it on the very next morning and have about 4 shirts and 2 pants to choose from. And I don’t even bat my lashes twice! I’ve definitely learned what I can do without in life.

    Reply to this comment

  9. Rease

    21. Feb, 2011

    I miss the sense of urgency in the States and I miss food, but I am doing fine. I don’t miss my stuff at all that much though.

    Reply to this comment

  10. Irina Sazonova

    21. Feb, 2011

    I’ve also let go of most material possessions. I can’t say I particularly miss anything, but it turned out I’m slightly attached to Russian food. So I actually made borsch for the first time in my life and some vegetable sauces, etc. I’m pretty amazed by that actually, I don’t even like Russian food all that much.

    Reply to this comment

  11. Erin

    22. Feb, 2011

    I love that it’s a success if you don’t wear the same t-shirt 3 days in a row…that’s kind of awesome!! I’m sure it’s sort of a relief to let go of most of what you thought would be necessities!

    Reply to this comment

  12. Rebecca

    22. Feb, 2011

    I thought I would miss my tv shows more (so lame, I know) but I really didn’t. I loved exploring and discovering new shows whenever I had the opportunity in whatever country I was in.

    Reply to this comment

  13. Maggie

    22. Feb, 2011

    I didn’t really miss food much when I spent a semester in Japan. Well, I did, but like you said, not really enough to actually do anything about it. I think I broke down once and HAD to find a KFC, and after I ate my meal that was nothing like American KFC, I didn’t have another Western craving again!
    I’d love to hear what you miss the most!

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      26. Feb, 2011

      I had KFC at the airport in China and thought it was way tastier then American KFC!

      Post about what I DO miss is coming shortly :)

      Reply to this comment

  14. Claire

    23. Feb, 2011

    It’s funny how quickly our ideas of how we must present ourselves to the world change when we are reduced to a backpack of belongings and not much more! My idea of dressing up when on the road long term was the addition of some earrings, a clean shirt, and the flip flops that were the cleanest ;)

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      26. Feb, 2011

      Yup the other night I put on earrings and really felt quite fancy!

      Reply to this comment

  15. Sally

    23. Feb, 2011

    When I just had one bag, I really actually kind of did miss my clothes. Or at least having options & not having to wear the same thing everyday. But now that I had to up my belongings to two bags (I’m working, so I actually need to show up in real pants… as opposed to capris or some weird concoction I came up with in a Thai market), it’s kind of stressful getting dressed in the morning. I don’t even have that many clothes — but it’s just enough to give me options. Ahhhh! Options!

    Reply to this comment

  16. Melissa

    24. Feb, 2011

    I can’t agree with you on one thing– I miss Mexican food like crazy!!! I would kill someone for a burrito right about now.

    Reply to this comment

  17. Aly

    24. Feb, 2011

    I’ve been back more or less “settled” for a bit now and I still haven’t bothered filling up my closets. I used to just walk around with a little bit of cash in one front pocket and my ID/debit card hidden in another pocket so I never had to carry around a purse. Becoming free of the purse was such an amazing thing that I have to force myself to take one out now!! :)
    But you can always find coke ANYWERE! Back in the 80s my parents found us vending machines full of cold cokes on a hot sunny day in the middle of small fishing village on one of the small southern most islands of Japan!

    Reply to this comment

  18. Sarah

    27. Feb, 2011

    What I found most interesting, was that like you, I didn’t miss much about home (aside from the occasional burrito and my friends and family) either. However, as soon as I got home, all those comforts and things I had downsized or cut, quickly came back into my life.

    It’s been amazing to see how quickly you can adjust to not having something (like a wardrobe) and being perfectly cool with it. Now that I’m home though, that shopping kick went back into full force and my closet once again seems to be bursting at the seams. How quickly we RE-adjust to the comforts of a home life.

    Though, I’d still trade my full closet for a backpack and journal full of adventures any day.

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      06. Mar, 2011

      Eeee, this makes perfect sense to me as I’ve experienced it in the past. Not sure I’ll ever be able to go back to a full face of make up though.

      Reply to this comment

  19. Michael

    28. Feb, 2011

    This is great! I can totally relate to the “being too tired to go out” part….whenever I’m on the road I do so much during the day that staying out all night is the last thing on my mind.

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      06. Mar, 2011

      Glad it’s not just me. I feel like such a stick in the mud sometimes!

      Reply to this comment

  20. Andrea

    03. Mar, 2011

    I feel so connected to you considerig the pants I recommended made it into your travel uniform. Does that makeup for me taking all your clothes when you left??

    Reply to this comment

  21. Angie Orth

    03. Mar, 2011

    Love this post! I’m only two months into my trip and I confess I am tired of wearing the same clothes. But I’m with you on the rest of the points. Will keep following your journey!

    Reply to this comment

  22. Katie

    07. Apr, 2011

    Ditto on the western food. And I’m pretty sure EVERYONE in the world knows the words “hello,” “okay,” and “Coke.”

    Reply to this comment

  23. Vacay Girl

    04. Mar, 2012

    I have not made my big move yet (next year) but I have often wondered about what certain things I would miss. I found myself wondering it about my favorite Chinese restaurant right by my house. Will I find a tasty substitute in Mexico? I’m pretty sure I will. And since I’m moving to live in one spot I’m quite the opposite to most of you when it comes to clothes. I’m buying, buying and buying more clothes because I know when I get there my money that I’m saving now won’t allow me the room to go on shopping sprees any more.

    But as far as family, I currently live in Kentucky but originally from Texas and only see my fam and friends once a year anyway and I think I’ll be able to continue that anyway. But I think people are resilient and can find that they can do without more than they realize. You all are here to prove that. Happy travels to all!

    Reply to this comment

  24. Aryn

    30. Apr, 2012

    BACON!!!! I’m about to embark on my gap year and I’ll be spending around 4-5 months (maybe more, pretty open-ended trip) in Islamic or majority Muslim countries where bacon is not to be found. Even spending short periods of time in Turkey and Dubai I’ve found that I really, really, REALLY miss my bacon and egg sandwiches.

    Reply to this comment

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Travel Writing Round Up [March 2011] « Caroline in the City - March 2, 2011

    [...] “Things I Don’t Miss About Home That I Thought I Would,” Twenty-Something Travel: Even though Stephanie has been gone longer than me, I sympathize. I thought I would be more homesick, but I just miss a few small things. Thank God I still have my Coca Cola fix. [...]
  2. Travel Writing Round Up [March 2011] - Caroline in the City - July 31, 2012

    [...] “Things I Don’t Miss About Home That I Thought I Would,” Twenty-Something Travel: Even though Stephanie has been gone longer than me, I sympathize. I thought I would be more homesick, but I just miss a few small things. Thank God I still have my Coca Cola fix. [...]

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