10-Mexican Food! Dude, I'm a Texas girl. I gotta have my Tex Mex. Here, there is no such thing. As a matter of fact, I've even heard Tyrone go so far as to say that Bahamians HATE Mexican food. What they know of Mexican food is more like Cuban food or Yucatan food. So they hate it and restaurants don't survive. So my only remedy is taco night every so often. It satisfies a craving to an extent, but I MUST have Lupe Tortilla PRONTO when I get home!
9)-Asian Food...of any kind. I am an Asian food fanatic. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, you name it, I love it. There is absolutely NO Asian food here. There is a Chinese food place in the port which I will NEVER be eating at. We walked past it once and the food that we saw people eating looked like a step down from cat puke. Oh my lordy, how I want some stinking Merlion, or Benihana, or 888, or ANYTHING Asian. If you're some of our OKC peeps, Houston peeps, or family, just get ready for a Mexican food/Asian food overload in the mere 6 weeks we will be in the states...
8)-Easy Transportation. Though I love Tyrone, he officially got the patented Rachel Womack Ice Princess Treatment yesterday for the stunts he pulled. I won't go into detail, but suffice to say I took for granted mobility when I was in the states. You can't just jump in the car and run to the store, or to a friend's house, or out for lunch. You have to call a taxi or a bus or walk to a stop, wait as long as that particular driver feels like making you wait, and then you have to basically bend over and take it financially. They're exorbitantly expensive but necessary unfortunately. Otherwise I would never leave this little 2 mile radius of my apartment...
7)-Target. Oh how I miss thee. I could really use a few more little swimsuit cover ups and short casual dresses. They are all on clearance at Target right now, and I CAN'T GET ANY! By the time we get back to the states, there will be no summer clothes anywhere. Boo!
6)-A Workable Kitchen. I have one of the nicer kitchens here on the island, but don't let a pretty face fool you. Now, just about every time I cook I have to open several windows because the entire house fills with smoke. Not sure why. My pans suck and the cooktop is awful. The oven takes like 45 minutes (literally) to heat up to 350, and my refrigerator has started making funny noises. It almost sounds like there are aliens inside who are plotting their world domination...
5)-Dishwasher! Probably should go on number one. I am washing dishes all day every day it seems like. And they never get as clean as I would prefer. I'm about to take Michelle's cue and start buying paper plates and bowls. I also don't have a garbage disposal, so that just adds to the time it takes to wash up after dinner.
4)-Communication. Though I feel like we are more accessible than I thought we would be, I still feel isolated sometimes. I can't always get ahold of Jonathan, my Vonage only works when I'm within range of an open Wifi network, and the internet is less than reliable. When I talk to family members and friends, I feel a world away because I feel like life is happening without me. We're missing out!
3)-Something, anything, that is not outrageously expensive. I seriously think that I will be going shopping in the states simply to find some sort of ACTUALLY good deal on something. I may or may not actually buy it since I will most likely be broke as a billy goat in November/December, but I would just love to be able to pick something up, turn the tag over, and actually be PLEASANTLY surprised by what I see...
2)-Teaching. Tough to admit. I do miss teaching. I miss the routine, I miss the kids, I miss the rewarding nature of it. I miss my room, I miss my colleagues, I miss the Cloffice. I miss squeaky clarinets, bathroom sounds on brass mouthpieces, middle school girl drama, and 5th and 6th grade awkwardness. I miss just about all of it. I am enjoying that my time is my own. And don't get it twisted please, I am really busy here with other things. But I do miss teaching. I miss Keller...
1)-Friends and Family. We are SO blessed to have found and connected with the Wellses here in Freeport. It has definitely been an answer to prayer and a clear cut provision from God that helps us get through day by day. But we miss everyone back home! I would list out everyone I miss, but it would be a stinking novel. I need a Girls Night Out. I need some double dates. I need to sit on the couch in Bernice's living room and shoot the breeze. I need to do a shoe shopping day with my momma. I need the comfort of my Mimol's living room, the nostalgia of my Pa's garage, the familiarity of the UBC sanctuary, the warmth of laughter with old friends, the victory of the daily defeat of cancer with the Womacks. I need all that and so much more...
15 weeks is not a long time. 8 weeks is even less! But it is beginning to feel like an eternity. I am blessed, and I don't forget to thank God daily for the opportunity He has given us. But I can't help but think about how precious those weeks are going to be when we get to be wrapped in home. Even if it will only be for a little while...
I enjoyed reading this post. I love to eat chinese and mexican food, so I can only imagine not being able to have access to them, especially when your tastebuds have a craving for it. I can see how you miss transportation. I am that person who loves the idea of jumping into my car whenever and going wherever without waiting. I pray 8 weeks will fly by like the speed of light. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Toia! Eat some Mexican food and Chinese food for me! ;)
ReplyDeleteHey! Thanks for stopping by and linking up with the Adoption link up! I will definitely be praying for the Lord's direction for you guys! I'm your newest follower, too!!
ReplyDeleteChristie
http://satisfactionthroughchrist.blogspot.com
Rachel, I totally understand your list and what you miss about the US (mexican and a kitchen for sure). I have many of the same issues here in Paris. In fact don't you sometimes even feel guilty for saying you miss something because you live in a place that others only get to visit and would love to try living there. Please let me offer some words of advice. There is a period after you move away that they call the honeymoon period when everything is great it is exciting. Then reality sets in and you have actually LIVE THERE. It is then everything about the new place is bothersome, things are difficult or harder. You really miss your friends and family, church, choir I always feel a bit lonely too. Hang in there because the next phase is acceptance or even just acknowledgement. Here you get to the point where you accept the differences you adapt to how you have to manage. You will continue to learn tricks of the trade and things get easier. I know you will have to move again and go through these steps all over but all expats go through them. It is then that you really find out where your strength. I think I have focused more on my relationship with Christ during our 2 years than ever before. I now have to turn to him because I do not have anyone else close enough here to talk to (other than John and sometimes you need someone else especially when you have made him quit his job and move acrosse the world. So I guess my point is to hang in there it will get better or at least tolerable. You have an amazing opportunity that unfortunately most Americans will take advantage of in living in another culture. Please send me a note if you need any one to listen to you and who understands the situation. Love ya, thinking about you and praying for you.
ReplyDeleteLiz