Well! I've been Stateside for about four days now, and here is a list of Ten things I am adjusting to:
1.) dry air! I feel like a prune, like my skin is in constant wrinkle mode! My parents are noticing the same thing, so's I suppose this is a Thing you have to deal with when you come from a tropical climate.
2.) not having to throw away toilet paper! I still find myself looking for the garbage can and then thinking - - waiiiitt a minute----
3.) not having to take off your shoes when you enter a house! although I still do. Force of habit.
4.) NO TEA!! no tea no tea no tea...augh!!
5.) I can READ EVERYTHING! Instead of walking confidently through the store because I know exactly where my stuff is (like at the Carrefour), I find myself standing for looonnng periods of time in the Wal Mart just staring at stuff because... I can read all of it! It's daunting!
6.) I can eavesdrop! I can communicate what I want! I can find what I need!It's a wonderous thing to be in a Land where everybody speaks your language!
7.) no high buildings! beautiful sprawled out houses and YARDS! TREES! oh boy!
8.) my hair is well-behaved! This is due partly to the lack of humidity and partly to the fact that I am not hopping on my scooter right after drying my hair. I'm not used to well-behaved hair. I almost don't know what to do with it!
9.) caaannndddyyyy.... *drool*
10.) comfortable beds! everywhere! I've stayed so far in a hotel, a friend's house, my parent's unit at the missionary home they stay in, and here at my brother's in-law's house. Four different beds. All comfortable. None of this Taiwanese bedrock-style (HAHAHAHA bedrock!!) beds. HAHAHA... bedrock..
That's it. :)
OH! I saved a turtle today. We almost squisht him with our car, were it not for my cry of "NOOOO! TURTLE IN THE ROAD!!!" he would have been all cracked up. I saved him and put him by a pond. I feel like I did my good deed for the day.
It's been great to catch up with family and meet new fambly people, as in my brother's fiance's family. North Carolina is a beauutiful state! Really beautiful. Like, I'm blown away by some of these country houses (estates?) that look just like they came straight from a magazine cover.
The food's been amazing, I've been sleeping well, and just counting down the hours until the wedding on Saturday.
I haven't seen my brother David yet, as he has to work today about four hours away so will drive in tonight. My other brother Ryan is supposed to arrive at some point (he's a free spirit. who knows when he'll show up?). This will be the first time in 6 years or so my entire family (parents + all kids) will be together in one place. My mom's sister, my aunt Susan, will drive in tomorrow morning, and I'm so excited to see her again! I haven't seen this particular aunt in... maybe...17 years? craziness.
I will also get to see an old family member, my parent's missionary co-worker, Aunt Millie, who recently retired to the States. I haven't seen her in years, and don't know when I'll see her again. So even though not a lot of our family is coming, this really is a special few days for us.
However, by the time I'm heading back to Taiwan, I think I'll be ready. Special though it is to be here, grateful as my heart is to be with my family, and fun as it is to reverse cultures and be in the US for a few days, my home for now really is in Taiwan.
I will be working on thank-you's for each individual who made it possible for me to be here! But until I get them all out, if you're reading this and you were part of helping me to be with my family for this wedding, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! This is an absolutely amazing gift and I'm still rather in awe of the fact that I'm HERE! I'm praying for heaps and heaps of blessings from God in all of you who helped me to get here. :)
Until next time (who knows when that will be?)! Zai jian!!
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