Part of my sluggish brain is just being a busy Mom I'm sure, but last week all week long I was saying 'Oh yeah!' to myself. It's taken several days for things to dawn on me. I've heard some people say the reason this takes a while is due to the speed of our modern forms of travel. One day we wake up to snow and it gets dark at 4pm. The next we wake up to 90-degree tropics, foreign language and it's light until 6pm. It's just too much for someone to process in 24 hours, or even one week! Missionaries of old had 3 months on a steamer to read, pray, process, reflect (and get really sea sick... yeah there IS that...).
Many things about daily life work differently here, and not having need for a recipe to make my own salsa at home (I just buy it!) I haven't used some of these skills in many months. My life in the suburbs of the US just didn't keep me up on water filtration.
So here's my list of 'oh yeah' moments from what I remember of last week:
Oh yeah! I used to turn the hot water heater on for 2 hours everyday...
Oh yeah! Cadbury's cocoa powder is the one without sugar...
Oh yeah! Whole oats are called jumbo oats, trucks are called lorries, bleach is called jik, pants are called trousers, flip-flops are called slippers (I'll cut it off for the sake of time) here...
Oh yeah! Never count your cash in front of the ATM, people watch you...
Oh yeah! One can never have enough small change...
Oh yeah! Always lock all doors and close all windows when driving...
Oh yeah! Soap powder stops the ants from coming in in January's dry season...
Oh yeah! Don't brush teeth with tap water...
Oh yeah! The sun is up year round from 6:30 - 6:30...
Oh yeah! Mosquito bites are really itchy for about 4 days...
Oh yeah! I am a mosquito magnet...
Oh yeah! Cooking on gas is wonderful...
Oh yeah! I love passion fruit juice with a passion...
Oh yeah! It's such a sacred privilege to know brothers and sisters from other languages and cultures...
3 comments:
These are things I just never think about. How I'd love to visit some day.
I like your last "Oh yeah"! the best.
KIM! I loved reading this! It made me miss you so much! I'm so amazed by what you and your family are doing and so thankful to know you. Tom and I just got home from small group and getting third-hand clothing from Lane's house. We watched the Superbowl today and lazed around, enjoying our couple solitude instead of forgetting and looking forward to babies and busyness. We are very very well. My little sister might move to Eugene! I'll tell you more about it soon.
It's goodnight here :)
Love, Dinah
Love your list!!! Have you tried salt for the insect bites? Grace to you as you continue adjusting! Auntie Shell
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