Monday, April 25, 2016

What do people do this time of year?


Hello Friends!  As you can see I have been traveling quite a bit these last few months. I have lived in four countries within that time, three over here in South East Asia. I managed to have my iPhone stolen on the way over and had to deal without having very much communication for awhile, which is a great way to be thrust into a new culture, honestly, I am not joking. I know it sounds crazy and maybe it was a little, but I was blessed to have friends that had prepared for me to stay in their house even though they were gone.  I began by trudging through the first day, trying to stay awake, which lasted until about 5pm. I then slept for a good 14 hours! If you are like me, a great way to get over jet lag quickly is to pull an all-nighter and leave your home country completely and utterly exhausted. Trust me, your friends will appreciate it as well, especially if you will be gone for awhile.  Although that may come back to haunt you when it comes to cell phones... so take care to keep those close during travel.
 It is quite an amazing experience to not have anyone to speak your native tongue with and even more of an experience to have no internet or TV to even listen to someone else speak your language. It always gives me greater respect and empathy for those who leave their home lands to immigrate and learn new languages and cultures. What I learned from this is that you can communicate, with non-verbal communication and most of all by being humble and willing to do things just like whoever your gracious hosts are. Remembering constantly that you are difficult and taking it in stride, being willing to be helpful, and appreciating everything you can.   

New and old friends!
Barbecue local style! 

I have learned that sometimes sweetened condensed milk in coffee is actually good when there is nothing else. 



In case you ever need fake teeth, you can get them put in during your normal grocery stop at the street market on market day. 

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