Month #6

I'm going to revisit the bulleted list and tell you some of the things that surprise me about our SIX MONTHS of living in South Asia:

• I am completely okay with the fact that geckos are regular house guests. They run around on the ceiling and walls, and it doesn't even phase me anymore. They eat other bugs.
• I cannot remember what it is like to drive in a regimented line arrangement. It must be really awesome not to have to dodge cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and people on every road. Actually getting up to the speed of fifth gear would probably feel like driving on the Autobahn to me.
• Not having a TV has really been transforming.
• I have a greater appreciate for ice.
• I only really came close to losing it once, and that was when it was ridiculously hot at night with no electricity. I came to the realization that it would not be humanly possible to cool off, and I almost lost my sanity. Then I realized that I am 33, and I could probably use a little more self control.
• I am thankful for different things these days- ice cream bars made with pasteurized milk that I can eat without getting sick, yogurt, Cadbury Dairy Milk, my househelper, lots of electricity during monsoon season, getting mail, going to the tailor to pick up the clothes I ordered, having tea with the lady at the fabric store, having a phone conversation in another language.
• I am thankful for the same things these days - my husband, my children, my family, homeschooling, friends that check up on you at just the right moment, my salvation, laughing, playing games.
• Comfort food makes life in another country bearable.
• The definition of parental supervision here is a bit different from my own.
• I enjoy cooking from scratch (except for the potatoes with masala moment, then I almost cried). My pita bread and hummus rocked it last night!
• My definition of sanitary is no longer the same.
• I freely discuss bowel habits with other adults during mealtime - and no one is surprised that this topic arises. You would be so surprised at the number of different kinds of diarrhea one can have. This information is important in order to be correctly diagnosed: general bug, bad bacteria or amoeba.
• When your next door neighbor has roosters and baby goats, it's noisy at 5 a.m.
• "National Geographic" moments no longer phase me.