Oh, Summer Evenings in Iowa, I Miss You

I find that when I am away from the States (and even just away from Iowa) I ocationally and randomly get hit in the face with missing something.  And it is usually something that I don't actively think about or do on a regular basis.  I rarely miss the people in my life, and before you get angry let me explain why.  I can still hear your voice and see your face via Skype; I can stalk you through facebook; I can send you emails with stories that reminded me of you and you can reciprocate.  There is ample oporutnity to stay in contact with friends and family, and I don't think there is a deep need to miss them.  I obviously miss things like kicking Peter's ass while playing Monopoly and Travis sneekily assulting me while I am trying to figure out what Evil Bear Buddies wants me to write in my paper.  But really, I can easily stay in contact with all of you, and access to you is literally at my fingertips.

The things I randomly miss are... random.  The other night I was laying in bed, and for some strange reason it was quite out.  (This is strange because I live on a fairly busy road and that road connects two other busier roads.  I can always hear people and cars and occasionally a police siren or two.)  I all of a sudden missed the sounds of the cicadas on an Iowa summer night.  I closed my eyes and tried to think of how they sound, and I was sad because I won't hear them again until at least next (Iowa) summer.  I was walking to Clea's apartment the other day, and I had a quick pang of missing sprawling suburbia (don't tell anyone I said that).  Seeing yards with flowers and plants- it was quite a strange thing to miss for me.  I have also been missing Olive Garden the last couple of days, but that is only because I hear they have their never ending pasta bowl right now.  I'm sad I'm missing out.

However, I guess I don't just miss things when I am away from home.  I miss things from the places I have been, and I get strong feelings of nostalgia and a deep want of them in my life.  I am sure everybody is thinking of my desire to receive tapas with my beer.  I even crave Pingüinos like I had in Mexico City sometimes.  (Good news: I found some at the corner store by my apartment!)  I also mss the smell of the laundry in Mexico City.  Don't ask me why- I have no clue.  And when I get back to Iowa, I am going to have strong cravings for good empanadas, and I don't know if I am going to be able to find them.