3 weeks + Sanity

Once again, I'm absurdly late on getting this post written. So much for punctuality. If I get my other posts and emails written this weekend, I'll write the one for next week so that it arrives on time. I'm not holding my breath on that one yet.

Anyway, I certainly face my share of challenges over here, and I've developed a lot of different coping mechanisms for them. It really helps to have several different strategies for different situations.

1. Reading. I do this a lot. I'm going to try to do a final count, but I think I made it through 40 books in the last 18 months. And I also read The Economist and some Google News on my phone (I can't get the mobile version of The Onion to work any longer, but that was a favorite for a while). It's just a good way to calm myself or pass the time.

2. Cooking and baking. Actually, I haven't cooked in over two weeks, and I feel like it has taken its toll a bit. Not only can I control what goes into my food (on the road, many of the selections are deep fried), but there's a certain satisfaction out of cooking a delicious meal. Still, I will be excited to use a proper oven when I get back to the states.

3. Email. Yep, I figured I'd cut back on email when I came over here. I've discovered, however, that I can accomplish so much more when I have it. It really helps in bringing people together and getting stuff done. it has definitely sold me on the benefits on Rural Internet Kiosk projects. One of the greatest benefits of emails over mobile phones is that usage fees tend to be much lower.

4. Hills and mountains. It's odd, since I've lived in fairly flat areas all my life, but I find so much comfort these days having hills and mountains surrounding me. I don't even hike all that often, but I can spend ages lost staring into their contours and shadows. And on a more technical note, I also lament the environmental degradation of them in many cases (deforestation is especially easy to observe on hillsides).

5. Host country nationals. What a ridiculous term, but I can't think of a better way to say it (I feel like "Locals" doesn't have the connotation I'm looking for). Anyway, I've met a lot of really incredible people over here, and they have certainly made this whole experience worthwhile. I've met so many incredible people here who I already miss and yearn to visit again.

6. Blogging. I usually couldn't be troubled to write down what was going on in my life back in the states. I even struggled in classes where we had to keep some kind of log or journal (such as lab classes) because I just never kept it up. I would say that this blog is evidence that that has changed. Big time.

7. Biking. So I've been nearly run over a few times pretty much every instance that I've ridden my bike to town, but that's part of the fun, right? Either way, there's a feeling of freedom as the wind rushes past my face and I weave in and out of traffic.

8. Rain. Sure the mud is a hassle sometimes, but I will always love the rain. There have been so many wonderful storms, and now that I have an appreciation for living life waiting for the rains, I have developed a profound respect for the clouds. Also, extra points when the rain comes with thunder and lightning.

9. Expatriates. There are so many people over here who have such interesting lives and stories to tell. I've met people from dozens of countries over here and heard all kinds of remarkable tales. Also, it's nice to meet people who have some sense of the kind of life that I'm living. (NB: I consider medium to long-term residents expats; short-term people are tourists in my book, and as the last post probably indicates, they do not typically help with coping.)

10. Throwing the frisbee. This was one of my favorite things to do in the states and it remains one of my favorite things to do here. I don't have as many friends to play catch with over here, but every time I pick up that disk, I feel just about all of my problems melt away.