So *warning*---this post isn't all roses and sunshine but neither is life and this is where I am. This is my attempt at finding some perspective today and keeping on going.
First, jet lag with a 3 year old sucks. Not even including the stomach bug we muscled through initially, it's hard to get on a new schedule eating and sleeping. Owen has been having the hardest time-expected I guess. We've been up until 3am and then he's been whiney and tired (and still getting over this virus) all day. Everything is shadowed exhaustion. I'm ready to have my happy baby back and find a new normal.
Second, we really don't have any idea what we are doing. It took us over and hour to find a restaurant yesterday and then it didn't take our American credit card. We had to call the landlord back over to teach us how to use the radiators and floor heaters-we couldn't even read the instruction manuals. We seem to get lost a lot driving, even with gps. The road system is not American intuitive so you can see where you want to go but actually getting there is way more complicated than you would think. Even the grocery store is hard. There is lots of salmon and caviar paste (what?!?) but finding lunch meat for sandwiches took a long time. And apparently you have to bring your own reusable bags or have the checkout guy look at you like you are sole reason for global warming when you ask for one plastic bag....and in English to boot!
Third, it's cold. Really cold. I know that's not unique to our experience here but it sure is a change for us running outside barefoot. I'm already tired of putting on layer after layer of clothes on the boys and wrestling them into their boots and mittens. I have already decided I need a bigger purse to hold everything they peel off and hand to me when we go inside somewhere. I see many a lost mitten and hat in our near future.
What I realize is that I've never really considered what people go through moving to a new country. We had to get our visas today and spent a few hours at the Office of Foreign Service Workers. It sounds so strange to me to be considered an immigrant. My stereotype doesn't include "people like me". How narrow minded is that?!?
We are the foreigners here and somehow I am to some extent still expecting people to cater to my American ideas and language and expectations.
They don't have Hidden Valley Ranch dressing in the grocery store? What?!?
You want me to read and understand AND follow that street sign? Yeah right!
My internet connection does not respond to a snap of my fingers? How dare they!
Apparently, I am okay with living in a different country....as long as I can still live the exact same way..... Ummmmmm, so yeah, not really fair on my part. I've got some changes to make. I've got a lot to learn and while I will definitely still be asking questions along the way, I need to adapt.
I've never really truly given the same consideration and patience that I am
now hoping for from the locals here. I get frustrated when a driver doesn't follow the traffic flow-maybe it's her first time to drive in Houston. I get inpatient when I have to wait for a translator in talking to a patient's family-it's hard to learn a new language. I roll my eyes when someone stands too close to me in line or doesn't know how to go through a checkout line efficiently or didn't read the sign saying "credit card only lane"-I've never had to do it myself.
It's really really hard.
So, adapt I will ( keeping trying to) do and hopefully (very very soon) look back on these first days and laugh.
And I (and importantly, my children) are learning a new tolerance, compassion and self esteem in learning the unknown. I have a whole new respect for the millions that have done this before.
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