Things I'll miss:

Walking everywhere. Seriously, my legs are in the best shape they've ever been in. If I could, I would wear minis all the time and those little strappy sandals that make your calves look so sexy. Plus, it's so refreshing to walk outside; there's something in the air that perks you up, no matter how down you may be feeling at the moment. I personally enjoy the opportunity to walk with someone. Some of my best conversations have occured on walks into Southgate for groceries.

Public Transportation. The tube is my friend. The rattling and shaking can be an excuse to throw yourself into the arms of the good-looking, well-dressed business man next to you. It's so interesting to watch the people who get on and off; what variety exists in the human race! I love the fact that you can buy a day pass and go anywhere in London, and then when you're so exhausted after such a full day, you can use the same card to hop on a bus for that last stretch home. Plus, the little dinging noise that the "Stop" button makes is such a fun sound.

History. The oldest building in Lincoln, Nebraska is probably from the mid-nineteenth century. There are buildings in London from the mid-ninth century. I love imagining the millions of people from the past who have stood on the banks of the Thames and watched the water flow calmly by. I feel such an intimate connection with my past, knowing my feet have traversed the land of my forefathers. I have seen the places people read about in textbooks. I have experienced them in an intimate way; I have lived here, like the millions before me, rather than coming for ten days, seeing the sights, and leaving again.

Masses of People. Again, Lincoln pales in comparison to London. There, 250,000 souls. Here, countless millions. What once felt like such a thriving metropolis is going to now feel so pastoral and colloquial. I can sit in the middle of Leicester Square and watch hundreds of people walk past me each minute. I can look at their faces, guess at what their lives are like, wonder where they're headed, where they're coming from, and I can go for days without seeing someone I know. In Lincoln, I could sit on a bench at Gateway Mall, and watch people for awhile, but I would probably have to stop every few minutes to exchange polite pleasantries with whatever former friend from high school is currently passing by.

Culture. Sure, Lincoln has a symphony. But the London Symphony Orchestra (who appears on several of my CD's) is just a few tube stops away. I can see opera, ballet, West-End plays, musicals, rock concerts, art, films; all of this I can do here. I can go to clubs, I can hear Irish Folk music at a pub down the road. I can relax in St. James Park with a book of poetry and not feel out of place. Is this possible in Lincoln? In a minute sense of the word. Our libraries don't have centuries-old copies of music by people like Wagner and Beethoven, or the Lindesfarnne Gospels. Our museum features a small collection of dinosaur bones and some Native American displays, possibly an exhibit on nineteenth century farm equipment. You could spend days at the British Museum and still not see everything.

Pints. A pint is such a perfect amount of beer. It's going to feel so awkward to walk into a bar and have to say, "I'd like a...um... glass (?) of beer..." I won't know what to expect. An 8 ounce glass? A tumbler? A 16 ounce glass? A pint is so simple and standard. No qualifications, no worries. A pint is a pint is a pint.

Guinness. O, the frothy goodness! Enough said.

I'm sure there are a million more things I will miss when I go home. I still have plenty of time, though, to soak up the things I love about this country. And although Nebraska will never quite look the same, there are things from home that I am only growing to appreciate more by my absence.