An anniversary...

Well...we arrived in this country (in our city) 6 months ago tonight...at about 11PM. Can it be? Some days it feels like we just got here and other days it feels like we've been here forever.

Language update: Every day we try our language on people and sometimes it works! Last week when I went to retrieve a package from the Post Office...NO ONE seemed to understand a word I was saying. Then Sunday when I went, they understood everything...so I tried a few new phrases! SUCCESS!

The problem day (We call them BCD...Bad Country Day)...I came home in a bad mood....the good day...I came home with a huge smile and a spring to my step...If my husband didn't live with me and experience the same things...he would think me CRAZY!!! I have to fight my emotions many days.

People stare at us wherever we go (nothing new there), but especially if we're together as a family. We took Good Friday off from school (Yes, I skipped class). The weather was beautiful and we spent some time at a park and just enjoyed being together in the middle of the day...but we drew QUITE A FEW stares for that. Who keeps their kids out of school? Those crazy foreigners, that's who! :)

Reflection: The initial entry into this new life was a shock to all of our systems. We were merely surviving. Now that we are learning our way...we're beginning to truly thrive. All thanks to the Father!

Because we are language and culture students, we are in classes with people from many other countries. In my class this semester, there is someone from Switzerland, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Chile, Tajikistan, Australia, USA, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Japan. Most of them are young, foreign exchange students or on a 6 month visa. One young man heard me talking to another about my children and asked if my husband was here, too. He couldn't believe an entire family would move around the world to learn a foreign language and study culture. The subject always opens doors to talk about other important things in our lives.

Anyway, I know I'm rambling. I just thought I should mark this day somehow. I'd like to mark it with a huge check mark! A mark that implies...it's finished as well as...it was good! More good days are ahead!

Side note: On the bad language day...I was so sure I was saying the correct thing. When I got home and my tutor came over, I said the same things to her and IMMEDIATELY knew by the look on her face what I had said. Not a major feaux pax (SP?), but still funny. I was telling the taxi driver over and over to take me to the MUSIC, which was opposite the main gate of the university. Music? You mean, Post Office? Oh, yeah...that. No wonder he looked at me funny. Oh well. I got it right the next time. :) And I did get there the first time. I'm sure that taxi driver was glad when I got out...crazy American!