Wednesday, January 2, 2013

End of Year Review

I made it home! I also survived the crippling jet lag and seemingly endless festivities that apparently went along with celebrating Christmas. Thankfully.

The past few days have been the first times I've really had to sit and think. I've discovered that it's best not to do it too much. I eat a lot. Drink some. I have not decided what this feeling is yet, but I do know the biggest adjustment I am going to have to make now that I am back in the land of the free is my mouth.

I seem to forget on a regular basis that people speak my language here (first of all) and second of all, that we do not necessarily have to scream at the top of our lungs to be heard. That is going to be tough. I think I have already gotten a few choice stares. I know I've embarrassed my friends more than once. Thankfully they love me anyway and encourage me to just be quiet.

I forgot how overwhelming grocery stores can be. I didn't need everything from a grocery in Macau - in fact, I needed very little. Here, I NEED everything!!! I went grocery shopping with Mom yesterday and in addition to there being so many people everywhere I looked, I wanted everything. However, they don't carry Portrait wine or even my Portugese Dao covered in twine. I can pretty much guarantee that if I do find Dao, it's going to be more than 80 MOP. And that makes me sad. But tortilla chips are abundant!

Turns out: shopping is not fun anymore. They play the music too loud now and I hate (have always hated) trying on clothes. I think this means I'm getting old. I would rather buy clothes online - even though it is highly impractical to do so - because I can't stand to be in stores with children running around and screaming and parents ignoring them.

Not sure when I grew up, but I guess that happened.

And so now while I sit watching America's Next Top Model when they filmed an episode in Macau, I laugh because the pollution obscures the sun and these idiots keep exclaiming over how beautiful it is. I miss it, but I miss the people and the wine. The cost of living. Not much else at the moment. Too many projects to do!

Also readjusting to living with Mom and Sister. I miss Sean and our quiet coexistence. Our routines that sometimes merged, but in general, it was just quiet. My home is quiet in the sense that there is no traffic around. We hear insects and bugs out here. Dogs barking occasionally. But my sister talks constantly. That is going to take some getting used to. My brother used to sing all the time, but this is different. I'll need to reach deep for patience.

I need a job. Something to keep me busy and out of the house.

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