"The World Spins Madly On"

Well, for whoever is still reading this blog I must tell you, I never finished a page of a coloring book as a kid. Never. I maybe got Cinderella's dress and her hair but I'd give up, put it away and move on to riding my bike or climbing a tree. So, I actually gave the blogging longer than I thought I would. I'm trying to come back. To get back on that train and keep blogging so hang with me, if you will.

We're 3 1/2 months in to our "adventure" which seems insane! It has been amazing, exhilarating, hard, smelly, new and life changing. As the days go on it sometimes gets easier and sometimes much much harder. Harder in that there are days that I miss those I love so much I can't breathe. Those days leave me wanting to pull the covers back over my head as the sun shines through the windows and sleep forever. My body feeling too tired to move even a single muscle. But, I do get up, whether it's from sheer willpower or the embarrassment I know would come if I were still laying there when the housekeepers open the front door, I'm not really sure.

I leave the house and go down the escalator system that now seems so familiar. It's cooler out now, which helps. I only work up a tiny bit of sweat as opposed to the deluge of perspiration that used to just accompany me always. As my sister-in-law puts it so perfectly, my ridiculous factor was at an all time high back in those hot summer days. One hot mess.

As I turn down the street I sometimes don't even notice the loud (I mean loud) noises of construction that always welcome in a new day as the city never slows down production of building homes for the ever increasing population. As the bus exhaust puffs a black film of soot through the air and into my face I no longer cough and cover my mouth (cue the scene from What About Bob when he first leaves his apartment...anyone?) My lungs know it's coming now and in fact, they're cool with it. It's probably taking years off my life but whatevs.

I have the walking down to a science these days as I maneuver my way around the city, gliding amidst THOUSANDS of other people always in a rush to get to their destinations. Step, step veer left. Step, step shuffle right. Ooops, messed up and end up getting a rough shoulder that knocks me back for a second (happens every day) but now I no longer look back to see what idiot just ran into me (I'm usually the idiot responsible anyway.) I take no more notice of it now than I used to of having to stop at a red light while driving (we all know I never did that very well either.) So, I continue on with the ever present game of "walking chicken" as I face the next oncomer. That's how it's gotten easier. I no longer even need a map to get places. I know most streets around the neighborhood and I now have my favorite restaurants where the staff knows me and smile kindly as I come in for the third time that week to order the same thing (Beef Noodles and Iced Lemon Tea-it's the greatest. Free refills would make it simply divine but I'll take what I can get.) I am in fact, a woman of routine and I have settled quite well into one here. I have found my favorite tailor, manicurist and drug store. My gym basically can set their clocks by when I'll arrive every day. All in all, life has become quite normal in some ways. And this morning, as my husband figured out how to get the USC vs. Florida game on the internet for me (BLESS HIM FOR THAT) and I watched it live from the comfort of my bed (since it was my Sunday morning) I did think, I could get used to this. PS: GO COCKS!

But, I do miss my home so much. I miss my job, my family, my dog and my friends who I love so dearly. I miss quiet Saturday morning walks around my neighborhood and the ease of being able to communicate with everyone around me. I miss doing my own laundry and shopping in stores that have my size. I miss beers for $2.50 not $12.50 and a regular meal for under $50.00.

But, I am grateful, up to this point, for this experience and for the growth I have had thus far. Last night I met a bloke (that's right I said bloke) from Equitorial Guinea. I had to get someone to look it up on their iPhone to even have a clue where that was (of course I totally pretended to know in front of him. Duh.) NO IDEA! Well, now I know. FYI- It's in the Western part of Africa right on the Equator. You're welcome. :) I have learned so much. Like, did I even mention I know three sayings in Cantonese? Yep, that's right. A saying for every month I've been here. One is my address for the cab drivers. One is thank you and excuse me (same words) and the last one is not for censored blogs but it will be useful if I ever need to really tell somebody off.

I look so forward to the "final stretch" of this journey (that's what I keep referring to it as in my head) and to what I'll learn as I keep living, shuffling and breathing through this crazy place.