In light of the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to
take a moment to share some of the things that I’ve come to appreciate after
spending the last few years living and traveling abroad. Most of the items on
this list are things I’ve become grateful for after living in developing
countries and countries where I don’t speak the language. But some of the
things on this list are simply things that I took for granted as a country girl
moving into urban environments. Whatever the reason, moving outside of home and
my comfort zone has heightened my thankfulness in so many ways.
This year I am
thankful for…
A shower with hot
water AND water pressure. I remember coming home from Ecuador and literally
giving thanks every time I took a shower and hot water came out of the shower
head. I remembered days in Ecuador when we had no gas which meant no hot water
which meant no shower and I had to resort to a quick splash in the sink. (Or a
bone chilling speed shower which I could never force myself to do.) Coming to
China, I was thrilled that I had my very own water heater installed in my
bathroom. The water was a mild trickle but it was HOT! And then, after a month
or so into my stay, the school replaced all of the showerheads and now I have
hot water and amazing water pressure. I can’t tell you how ecstatic I am every
time I take a shower. Oh, the magnificence of being pelted by scalding hot
water… it’s a beautiful thing.
A kind local who is patient enough to sort
out your gestures and monosyllabic vocabulary. This has become a very big
deal for me here in China, but it also was a factor in Ecuador when I had first
arrived and was getting my rusty Spanish back into working order. There is
nothing more frustrating or humiliating than when you’re at the grocery store (or
the bank, or the bus stop, or a restaurant…) and you simply can’t make yourself
understood AND the local you’re trying to communicate with is unfriendly. I’ve
had my fair share of locals who’ve simply dismissed me when they discover I’m
working with a limited (or nonexistent) vocabulary. But then there are those
kind and saintly souls who stop what they’re doing and patiently walk you
through how to get from point A to point B. Or take the time to decipher just
what exactly it is you’re attempting to order. Or break out their own limited English
to help you purchase a train ticket. In those moments the barriers of language
and culture suddenly dissipate, and you are just two people rediscovering all of
the words in a smile or a touch. I love those moments.
Finding a new
favorite food. We all have our comfort foods we run to when things start to
fall apart. But often times in new countries, our “food crutches” are not
always readily available. So I love when I come across a new dish or snack that
is readily available in my new
country and that fills the hole left by my longings for a Chipotle burrito or a
burger from Five Guys. Having said that, however, when you do find your favorite food or snack it’s
like the heavens have opened and poured out their delicious goodness upon you
and suddenly the whole world is sunshine and Skittles.
One foreign friend.
Of course when we’re in our home country, we take “our people” for granted.
Whether it’s your family or friends or your awesome co-workers or the eccentric
neighbor next door who still dresses like it’s 1975 but always gives you the
best popcorn tin at Christmas, we all take for granted that these are people
with whom we share a common culture and similar values and ideas. When you’re
transported thousands of miles from home and suddenly find yourself in a country
where people spit everywhere or don’t
understand the concept of punctuality, you have to have that one person who just gets it. Living abroad can be quite a
trying experience at times and there is nothing quite like suffering through
the adjustment to squat toilets together that creates an unshakeable bond
between two people.
Being able to
celebrate your faith. One of my
primary concerns when coming to China was having to go yet another year without
being part of a church community. This
goes hand in hand with my previous comment, but having people around you who
think and believe as you do is such a wonderful support when home is thousands
of miles away.
American TV shows
and movies. Imagine with me: It’s Saturday. The rain is coming down in
buckets. You have nothing to do and can’t go anywhere even if you wanted to. You’ve
got on your comfy sweats and didn’t
even bother putting in your contacts. You’ve stockpiled a handsome amount of
popcorn and chocolate. Vegging out in front of the TV for a few hours is just
what the doctor ordered. You grab some
pillows, snuggle up on the couch, turn on the TV and..….you can’t understand a
word that’s being said. You flip through 20 more channels with the same
results. And then--there it is! English! Saturday is saved!! You sit straight up and flip back one channel
to that angelic voice, hoping for reruns of Law and Order or, heck, Gilmore
Girls. The screen changes….aaand it’s CNN. Welcome to China.
A home that is
(mostly) insect free. For those
of you who’ve read up on my brief Honduran encounter, you know that I had quite
the infestation problem in my little home there. There was literally not one
room in the house where I could sit down without being disrupted by an ant or
spider or roach or gecko. Being able to walk about my apartment freely without
fearing who may be waiting around the
corner for me does wonders for my peace of mind. Even now, every time I get up
for a midnight bathroom run I give thanks that there are no large black shapes
scurrying into the dark as I approach.
Fast, reliable,
unrestricted internet access. I hate to admit it, but when I’m abroad I’m
pretty attached to my internet connection. At the risk of sounding melodramatic,
it’s my lifeline. It’s my only means of communication with everyone back home.
It’s where all of my entertainment comes from (sorry, CNN). It’s my journal
where I document all of my adventures. And it’s one of my few windows into what’s
going on back stateside. So when the internet is down, or running incredibly
sloo-o-o-wly, or my VPN is not cooperating and I’m stuck behind China’s
ridiculous firewall, well I realize just how much I appreciate my seamless
connection in the states.
Grocery stores within walking distance.
Now this is definitely one of those things that has much more to do with moving
from the country to the city than it does living abroad. In the country,
grocery shopping involves getting in your car and driving to the closest
Walmart or Kroger where you proceed to stock up on everything you’ll need for the
next two weeks. In the city, you might go to the grocery store multiple times a
week (!!) because 1) you can only haul so much back with you sans car and 2)
bulk food does not fit well in a tiny apartment. As a result, I am always
beyond thrilled when I find a large, well-stocked grocery store mere minutes
from my flat. Having to hike up my six flights of stairs multiple times a day
is workout enough and knowing that I don’t have to haul my groceries five
blocks or wait ages for the bus is a HUGE blessing.
A seat on the bus. Another country girl moving to the city thing. When you’ve got a 50 minute bus ride ahead of you and it’s late and you’ve had a long day and your back hurts, there is nothing more heavenly than snagging that last seat on the bus. Who knew hard plastic chairs could be so comfortable?
A/C and/or heat. I
feel like as Americans we are pretty picky about keeping all of our
environments perfectly climate controlled. As soon as the first bead of sweat
starts to form, on goes the A/C. And at the first chilly gust of winter wind,
the heat comes on full blast. And yes, I am one of those people--I hate being
too hot or too cold. Having to sweat it out in the 90 degree heat and not
having that switch to flip for instant ice cold air or shivering in my
uninsulated apartment with the cold tile floors and unsealed windows and doors with
only one space heater to spare has shown me how much I just expect to have both of those things. Now
when I am nice and toasty or cool and sweat-free, I always take a moment to
appreciate it.
Family and friends
who put in the effort to stay in touch. I know long distance relationships
are hard. It takes a certain amount of motivation and effort to keep in contact
with someone who is miles and multiple time zones away. So whenever I get an
email or text or a simple “Hi, how’s China?” on Facebook--or better yet, a care
package from home (gold!!)—I know that I am blessed with people who truly care
about me despite the time and distance. And who are willing to sacrifice their
time and money and sleep to send a little joy my way.
I am so thankful for each of these things, big and small.
Most of all, though, I am thankful that I have been given these wonderful
opportunities to live abroad so that I may grow into a person of gratitude who
can see value where so many others may not.
