Pros about being back:
1. I have lots of friends I can see at a moment's notice.
2. Driving - Nice huge roads to drive on and big parking spaces.
3. Not having to move so often now that I own a home again.
4. The weather - NC has amazing weather and when it is too hot or too cold our AC or Heat is always on, even when we aren't home so it's good the second we walk in the door. I even have a different thermostat on the different floors.
5. Washers and dryers - European washers could hold only a few clothes at a time. I can do 2 weeks worth of laundry and they still won't be full. :)
6. Family being close so you don't have to count the hours to see what time it is to see if you can call.
7. Walmart, Target, and other department stores where it is a one stop shop.
Cons:
1. Politics - I wish everyone would be nice and respect people's views even if they are different than yours.
2. Traveling - I can travel in the US and see some amazing things, but in Europe you travel for a couple of hours and you are hearing another language, seeing different architecture, eating different foods, and enjoying different cultures.
3. National Parks vs. National Trust - National Parks are amazing and beautiful, but they are few and far between. National Trusts in England usually include an old house and beautiful gardens. They are also everywhere in England. I went to so many of them just for a morning or day trip.
4. West End vs. Broadway. I could go to a West End show for around £25. That was the normal price (Not all shows of course). I can't usually see a show for that comes to NC.
5. Cheap flights - I have multiple examples where the train to get to the airport was more expensive than the flight cost. I miss Ryan Air, Easyjet, and other discount airlines that let me hope around Europe every chance I got.
6. Walkable cities - Especially in Germany, I could take a train to the main station and walk to wherever I needed to get. German trains were also super cheap. English Trains were a little expensive.
