Monday, May 25, 2009

Missing home

I don't know if I'm just hitting a lull, but suddenly I am missing so many different things about home....
  • My family
  • The luxury of having a car
  • Drive through windows, but of course that's only useful with a car!
  • Food, especially the restaurants back home. To name just a few: Panera, T-Bones, La Caretta, The Common Man, Pizzico, Longhorn, The Phonecian, Dunkin Donuts, The 99 and so many more
  • Grocery shopping where I can fill up the entire cart for a week or two and not have to return for something every couple of days
  • So many different shopping places like Target, Barnes & Noble, Macy's, BJs, The Paper Store, Staples, Toys 'R Us (yes, they have it here, but it's just not the same) and so on and so forth
  • The privacy of a house, even though I definitely don't miss all of the work involved in having to maintain a house

There are other things I miss that I'm forgetting to mention, but then I stop and think about how lucky we are to be here in Singapore, experiencing an entirely new culture. I go through phases, because I don't always miss New Hampshire, just the people from there that I love and the conveniences of an American lifestyle. There are so many things that the US didn't offer us though, so I am grateful every day for this chance and hope that it lasts for a while. We've met so many amazing people, I've had a chance to start work in a new field and I will be helping out with MOPS for the coming term. Juliana has grown so much, experienced all kinds of different enrichment classes, visited numerous sights, made some great friends and been exposed to things she simply wouldn't have been back in the States. More importantly, this opportunity is HUGE for Jacob's career and I am amazed at how much he has grown in such a short time. He's an impressive man and I just hope that the company he works for can see that too!

Well, now that I have gotten all of that off my chest, I feel much better having reminded myself of all the wonderful benefits of being here in Singapore. I do miss all my friends and family from home though...love to you all!

3 comments:

Camille, Blake, Pierce and baby Asher said...

I totally know what you are talking about... but you have the right attitude to think of all the positives that Sing has to offer... we are truely blessed to have you here and I look forward to see what God is going to do with you through your time here... Press on....

Pam said...

Hi there,
Just wanted to throw my two cents in that what you are going through is completely normal! I have moments all the time where I miss home so much it hurts, and I've been here 20 months (but who's counting!) But then there are days, and now weeks where I don't miss it at all, just the people. Hang in there, and enjoy the ride! =)

Oswald Chong said...

If I am right, what you're going through is culture shock... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock

You'll be fine after this.... you're doing great so far, adapting to Singapore culture, and life... may want to take a weekend break across Malaysia, Indonesia etc... it'll cost a lot more in the future to get to those places when you're home. Enjoy and let me know if you need any help.