Week 6 as an Ex-Pat: Reminiscing on HOME

As my six week mark of living life as an ex-pat in Kuala Lumpur approaches, I naturally have been thinking a lot about my home and life in the United States. It is such an amazing opportunity that we have living and working in another country, but there is no place like your home country. I miss more things than I thought I would, such as: great Mexican food, the ease of finding medicine and groceries (Target, I miss you dearly), being in pretty much the same time zone as family and friends, Bravo TV, happy hours with my best friends, and just common “Western” courtesies. A few things have been hard: understanding and deciphering the accents (we are so thankful most people speak good English), getting used to the metric system, converting currencies in your head, opening a bank account and just finding things you need. Everything has been just a little more complicated. But, all in all, we’ve been settling in quite nicely, and have really come to love our life here in Malaysia. We’ve been fortunate enough to already make friends that we have made deep connections with, and have some very exciting trips planned in the coming months.

We are out of what is called the “Honeymoon Stage” of being an ex-pat, and a little bit in the “Homesick Stage”. When we first arrived everything was new, exciting, exotic and adventurous. KL is still all of those things, but real life starts to set in. You realize you are LIVING here. You aren’t just having an extra long holiday and getting to travel the world. (Even though is does feel like that some days!) You actually have to create a new life, and it takes work. You miss the ease of being familiar with people, customs, foods, etc. You miss the country you were born and raised in, the country you know. We miss the USA.

So in the spirit of all things USA, and reflecting on my love for my country, I thought I would compile a list of my Top 5 favorite spots I have traveled to in the great USA (well the continental USA I should say, a Hawaii and US Virgin Islands blog to come later). So I hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane…

1. Road Tripping the California Coast

One of the most beautiful parts of the US, is the West Coast. Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, lined by cliffs and blue ocean, is one of the most spectacular drives you can do. Be sure to stop in Big Sur for at least a half day. If you want to stay longer, there is a beautiful resort called the Post Ranch Inn that has views to die for, or you can even camp in the amazing wilderness of the national park. Some the hi-lights of our trip to Big Sur was stopping at the Big Sur Bakery for lunch, Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls to see the gorgeous falls.

After road tripping through Big Sur, be sure to stop in Monterey and Carmel. Both towns are very quaint and offer multiple shops, restaurants, bars and beaches. Carmel is especially well-known for it’s world class golf course, the famed Pebble Beach. You can drive through the entire community of Pebble Beach, walk on the beach, and catch glimpses of the famous course. There are also light houses and beautiful wild flowers to check out, and get those incredible photos.

When you make it towards Northern California, San Francisco is a MUST. It is one of my favorite cities in the US, and has easy access to my all-time favorite US spot, Napa Valley. Of course, all the touristy sights are must-visits in San Fran: the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Painted Ladies, Haight-Ashbury and Chinatown. BUT, if you want a great dinner in a trendy spot where locals go, check out the Mission District. There are tons of premier, fabulous restaurants and a great mix of people. Be sure to always bring a light jacket or sweater with you to San Fran, as you never know what the weather will be!

Napa Valley is a spot that I cannot stay away from, and my all-time favorite US destination. The weather is amazing, the scenery reminds me of Italy, the food is on another level, and well, you know about the wine. What makes Napa so special to me, is the feeling that I get when I am there. It just feels right! Every time I go, I have the best time: I find a new winery I fall in love with, taste a totally new take on food and explore a new little town in the valley. I LOVE it!

2. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado

While Napa Valley may be my favorite place to visit, Colorado is my favorite state. My husband and I left colorful Colorado after living there for four and a half years, and after this overseas adventure, we cannot see ourselves living anywhere else. Being originally from Texas, it is a bold statement to call Colorado the best, but to us, it is. Colorado has beauty that amazes me every time I see it. The Rocky Mountains are stunning, and with all the activities you can do: fly fishing, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, snowmobiling, horse back riding, I could go on and on…you are never bored. The weather is amazing (we are really missing those no humidity, 70 degree days) and you get all four seasons, which keeps the scenery changing, allowing you to see beauty in new ways.

Our favorite was always the fall. The leaves change into these gorgeous yellow-orange, golden color on all the aspen trees, and driving through the mountains literally looks like a painting. The cool, crisp air and the Broncos playing on Sunday make the fall in Colorado unbeatable.

Now, I have a ton of great recommendations and places to go in the state, but I have my favorite towns: Aspen, Telluride and Grand Lake. Aspen has a great town, and is a little more “posh” than most mountain towns. It has some amazing restaurants, my favorite being the sushi spot Matsuhisa, and even has Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton stores. But amongst all the glamour, the town has a rich history in the wild west and there are some really cool bars/saloons that give you the sense you have walked back in time. There are also four ski mountains that surround the town, so you have many options in the winter and in the summer for activities. My favorite mountains to visit are the stunning Maroon Bells, which are also the most photographed mountains in the state. They are just magical.

Telluride is unlike any town I have ever been to. The San Juan mountains seem to jet up from the tops of the buildings, a cascading waterfall in the distance drops hundreds of feet down, a free gondola ride takes you over the ski mountain from the mountain village to the town, and it is just stunningly beautiful. It takes my breath away every time I visit.

Last, but not least, is the town of Grand Lake. I love this town because it is still TRUE Colorado. You won’t find any of those fancy stores I was talking about earlier here. You won’t find those five star restaurants, big resorts and massive ski mountains either. But what you will find is raw, untouched beauty. Grand Lake has three lakes, one of them being the biggest man-made lake in the state, and they are the star of the town. They are beautiful, and in the summer time, make for some amazing boating and jet skiing. Grand Lake backs up to the Rocky Mountain National Park, so in the summer, it can get pretty crowded with people and with moose! Go in the winter though, and you will be hard-pressed to find any non-locals. People still ride snowmobiles into town, most of the touristy shops and restaurants are closed down, and the lakes are frozen over. If you want to get away from the craziness of I-70 and tourists taking over the ski mountains, this is the place to be, and it is fantastic.

3. The Sights, Sounds and Flavors of New Orleans

New Orleans is a rare city in the US, where it seems like you went back in time or are in another country entirely. It is completely unique. It has it’s own history, culture, cuisine, people and almost an entirely different language from the rest of the States. All of these things make New Orleans a must-see destination, and one that I love to visit. I could visit just for the cuisine alone: gumbo, char-grilled oysters, crawfish, po-boys, beignets, red beans and rice, mufalattas…my mouth waters just thinking about all the deliciousness! It is hard to describe the feeling that you get while in New Orleans, you just HAVE to go and experience it for yourself. You will feel the party vibes, the southern hospitality and the joy that is in this truly one-of-a-kind city.

4. The Breathtaking Grand Canyon

Another place that is so incredible, great photos don’t even do it justice, is the Grand Canyon. It is one of those places you have to see to believe. Located in the state of Arizona, there are many different ways to get to the canyon, but a good old fashioned road trip was our choice. We made the trek down from Colorado, passing through the gorgeous Monument Valley and driving on historic Route 66. We saw the canyon from the South Rim, and it literally took our breaths away. It looks fake. Like a movie set, or a painting, you cannot believe what you are looking at. It’s surreal, and amazing. Looking at it from the rim was great, but we had to see this beauty from above. We did a helicopter tour, and that was the ultimate way to see it. You get a true sense of how massive the canyon really is, and get to see it from a different perspective. It is true, beautiful nature in all it’s glory!

5. History and City Life on the East Coast

I absolutely love visiting the East Coast purely because it is the birth place of our nation. I am a big history buff, so seeing the foundations of our country really excite me. On the East Coast, not only do you get history, but you get cities. Very BIG cities! So this mix of the past with the modern present, make for incredible vacations and memories. A couple summer’s ago we did an East Coast road trip. Starting with the hustle and bustle of NYC, we made our way through peaceful Connecticut, visited beautiful Cape Cod, history-filled Boston and picturesque Maine.

I found beauty to be in all of these places, but my favorite was Boston. I loved being able to walk where our founding fathers had walked, and made plans for a revolution. So COOL!

My love for the USA runs deep, but there’s nothing quite like being an ex-pat. Leaving your country makes you appreciate it more, and realize how lucky you are to now have friends all over the world, travel opportunities you never thought you would have, and memories that will last a lifetime. It has brought my husband and I closer than I ever thought possible, and made me rely more on myself. I am so grateful, and what makes this post easy to write is the fact that one day, we will return back to the grand ol’ USofA!

Happy travels,

Courtney