01 June 2011

more transitioning thoughts...

Well, so far this week... I've gone to the mall, gotten "take out" pizza, ate chips & salsa, and have driven a car. Getting myself in gear for re-entry to the States. ;)

Oh a humorous note... my roommate and I had a new expat (American) family over for dinner the other night. I picked up their 18 month old daughter after dinner, and immediately had this strange sense of something being "off." It's hard to explain. I shrugged it off, but the back of my mind was reeling to understand what was different... then it hit me: she is the first white child I've held in 8 months!!

A few other things I expect will be a bit jarring when I return?
-the LACK of gates, fences, and barbed wire around every business, home, shop, office, etc.
-the LACK of security guards at every location I go
-not greeting everyone, everyday with a firm handshake
-not using sign language 24/7
-having wide, paved, smooth, painted roads -- and having other cars stay in their own lanes
-the lack of pedestrian traffic and free-range livestock
-modern kitchen appliances, excess furniture, and just a lot more "stuff"
-the (much) faster "pace of life"
-seeing white people everywhere
-oh, and the conspicuous lack of dhania (aka: cilantro/coriander) in every dish

1 comment:

Louise said...

I've really enjoyed "catching up" with you by reading your blog entries. You bless me, make me smile, encourage me, and wrap it all up in beautiful words! Thank you!