Twenty-five

In honor of recently turning twenty-five I thought I would share 25 things I have learned over this past year.
1) It is possible to have more than one home.
2) I miss things from the US while I'm away that I don't even really like in the US. Ex: candy corn
3) Normal is relative.
4) I am not less of a person if I cannot communicate deep or complicated ideas in French.
5) Long distance communication is hard and incredibly frustrating.
6) I can experience FOMO (fear of missing out).
7) Getting to know so many people from so many different cultures is so fun and keeps life interesting.
8) I am so grateful to have two passports.
9) I can say a prayer in French.
10) I know some people with whom I only communicate in French and that is way cool.
11) Skiing in the Alps is no longer something I need to check off my bucket list.
12) I have learned to be more accepting and to reserve judgment.
13) Cadbury's is still my favorite chocolate.
14) I love living in Lausanne.
15) There's nothing quite like getting a letter from someone letting them know they're thinking of you.
16) Even I, the non-touchy one of my family, can suffer from lack of hugs.
17) Getting kissed on the cheeks by men and women is still weird.
18) I have the best view in the world.
19) I know how to cook lots more than I did before.
20) I have learned to know the temperature in celsius.
21) Wearing comfortable shoes over fashionable ones is almost always the right choice.
22) Ça va? seems like a much more effective way to ask how are you?
23) Starbucks coffee tastes like home even if it's more expensive than I really want to pay.
24) I'll never be Swiss enough to go for a nine hour hike and call it a short walk.
25) Friends can be found in the most extraordinary ways, don't dismiss the value of an invitation for cheesecake.