Happy Halloween!

One down, one to go. I just survived my 4th Halloween in Taiwan. My school had it's party this evening and I have one more party to assist at tomorrow night and then the hubbub will be over for another year. This holiday has been evolving in Taiwan over the past few years, and sadly, I think it's reached the point where it's a much bigger deal than Christmas at a lot of schools. The selection and availability of Halloween paraphernalia seems to increase steadily from year to year, though I was still only able to find one store carrying pumpkins. Above is my creation, carved with a very basic design because it was part of a story illustration for this evening's party.

Halloween parties have come to be expected at English schools, and for the past 2 years, we've aimed to approach the event as a ministry opportunity. Last year we did it with Veggie Tales and the theme: Where's God When I'm Scared? This year's theme was: The Good Farmer. Last week we had a staff meeting that went something like this:

Boss: As you know, next week's Halloween and we'll be having a party. For the main feature, Kara will be telling a story about a pumpkin that presents the Gospel in a very clear manner. Why don't you tell us a bit about it now?

Me: Umm, do I know this Kara? I mean, okay, well . . .

You see, I mentioned in passing that I was going to do a pumpkin story for this week's Bible class, which would be tomorrow night, but that was somehow interpreted as me volunteering to do it for the entire school tonight. I didn't mind though, it was a great opportunity, it's just that it's always bit awkward being informed that you're going to be doing something the same time everyone else finds out.

So yes, the evening started with me relating a story about carving a pumpkin to God and mankind: God helps us grow, God chooses us, God can change us within, from the inward change comes an outward one, and the light placed within us. It ended with teaching This Little Light of Mine, a song most of my Bible class students already know. It might sound cheesy, but a room of 80+ kids singing it was pretty cool. Afterwards, it was onto an evening of games, activities, and of course, candy.

Be still my heart

It's a Friday night. Another week of work is complete and I'm ready to unwind, only I can't. My heart is still racing from my mass consumption of caffiene today. Ugh.

I enjoy both coffee and tea, but for the most part, avoid them. I get hooked on caffiene way too easy and I hate the side effects. For whatever reason, I've felt drained this week and needed a boost to get me through the day, so I had a small pot of coffee with lunch. Mistake. By my afternoon classes, I was shaking and for the rest of the day, I've felt my heart racing. Great.

Tonight with my dinner, I decided to order an Ovaltine. Again, mistake. Somewhere along the line, there was confusion and instead, I recieved a giant cup of coffee! When it arrived, I happened to be in class, parched, while my water bottle was in another room, so what did I do - I drank some of the coffee. Not all, probably not even half, but any amount was more than what I needed. There came a point where I felt as though I was going to cause my own death if I consumed anymore. I can see it now - joe delivered the final blow. Here's to hoping rest comes despite my mistakes.

On a side note - the coffee I brewed this afternoon was fantastic! A friend bought it at a night market over a year ago, gave it to me when she moved, and it's been in my freezer ever since. Though she assured me it was good, I was skeptical - perhaps one of the reasons it's been in my freezer so long. However, it's quite delish. Night market coffee - who knew!

Best left unsaid

Being that I speak very little Mandarin and read even less, I really do appreciate restaurants that use photos on their menus, or better yet, incorporate English. However, there are the occasional translations that should be forgone. Case in point, driving past an area restaurant this week, a friend and I were amused to discover a new banner stating "Mandarin Duck Chaffing Dish."

Children can also have an interesting way with words. Tonight a young student shared that his uncle died this week. The uncle had jumped from his (the uncle's) 9th floor balcony, to which a classmate quickly added, "and now he's in hell." Woah! I think I'm the only one who understood what the classmate said and was slightly amused/intrigued that he was so quick-witted in his sarcasm and frankly, bold enough to make such a remark, much less know how to say it in English. However, in retrospect, I'm a bit shocked. In this predominately Buddhist country, that's not a typical comment an adult, much less a child, would say, whether in English or Chinese. I was beginning to think that maybe I've just not heard it here because people express it in Chinese, but I asked around and even the Taiwanese people I checked with were surprised. Hmm.

Strike a Pose

Sarah strikes a pose, originally uploaded by redjett.

After a whirlwind 9 days of traveling Taiwan and visiting with a dear friend, routine took over today. Things got started Friday (10/6) in Taipei where we spent a few days sight seeing, visiting with my Taiwanese big sis, sampling local cuisine (mmm, fresh squid and octopus), and relaxing at the hotel catching up on movies and learning to immitate the Taiwanese commercials (la,la,la so happy!). I somehow acquired a reputation as one who eats beside a trash can, but it was sheer coincidence or necessity. Come on, would you really want to walk through crowds at a night market while trying to de-gut your squid? I also had to break into some good old fashioned jumping on the bed while at the hotel - ahh, nice beds and high ceilings. Hanging out with a friend from my youth must bring out the kid in me.

On Monday (10/9), it was an island hop for a day and a night to take in a bit of snorkeling, beachcombing, and exploring tide pools by day and chilling seaside under the stars by night - refreshing breezes and lightening bugs - sweet!

From there it was a scooter trip on Tuesday to Meinong, a.k.a. Taiwan's handpainted umbrella capital. There was even time for a tea break to make some famous Meingong tea. We had the shop to ourselves and the servers brought out special costumes and props for an outright photo shoot of the foreigners dressed in Hakka garb. Finally, back home to Kaohsiung to recoup - 7 hours on a scooter in one day is more than enough for me.

Beyond Tuesday I was back to work but the week still held more treats and adventures for my guest. We met up with Becky for most of the remaining activities including Meinong, mtv, hiking on monkey mountain (I opted out of that adventure), the toilet restaurant, tepanyaki, Lotus Lake, and a hair wash.

We departed Kaohsiung Saturday afternoon for the trip to the airport. Sarah flew out late in the evening and 25 hours later, I found myself back at home. I stopped over at a friend's for the night on my trip back for a good night's rest and an overdue visit. It was funny to think that Sarah got home before I did, but sometimes the journey takes precedent over the destination. I spent the rest of Sunday catching up on, umm, sleep, and today, back to work. Sadly the visit came and went in a flash, however, it was nice to once again share my home and life in Taiwan with someone I'm close to. Thanks for coming Grasshopper!

Broken things

a colorful beach
Originally uploaded by redjett.

I'm sure shores were not intended to be this colorful. In fact, the enriched display is the result of litter, yet, on a beach of broken, bleached coral, I've come to fancy the colorful contrast of broken things. I even like to collect a few pieces each visit for some yet unknown future project.
I love how the shards of broken glass become smoothed over by the tide, rough edges polished. While the broken pieces won't become part of the whole again, they can be changed into something new. Though caught up for a time in the turbulence of the sea, beaten by the waves, many pieces still come to bank on the shore. While still susceptible to being swallowed up once more by the sea, there is also the potential for getting pushed farther and farther ashore, away from the temultuous sands and nearer to the weathered rocks.
I love the bits that are "fresh," still wet from the tide and glistening. They're most beautiful when reflecting the sun.

Sometimes I am a broken thing. Much like the glass without eyes, I fail to see the broken things around me. I'm still catching my breath and taking in the warmth of the Son, hoping that despite being tossed and tumbled, a piece of me can still reflect Light.
Like glass, I'm sometimes left feeling transparent, exposed, and vulnerable, at least for a time.
Sometimes the brokenness results in refinement. Other times, some rough edges remain, still waiting to be smoothed out. Even so, each time, the result is change. It's impossible to escape unchanged.

No Soup for You!

While my health wasn't completely restored overnight, I did awake feeling tremendously better this morning. I had just spent the past 2 days with a fever which hung around 102 degrees while I spent 10 hours at work yesterday. I did manage to slip out briefly in the evening for a quick run to the dr and the medicine she prescribed started to help soon after taking it last night.

While I was still presented with a very sore throat and almost no voice today, my energy level was high, just in time to finish cleaning up the place for my friend's rapidly approaching visit. I even felt well enough to make myself some homemade chicken noodle soup since it became apparent that my mom was not coming to make it for me. Thanks mom. Sure, I still had the aforementioned ramen, but mysterious seafood flavored soup just doesn't hold the same appeal as chicken noodle comfort food. But alas, it was not meant to be. There would be no soup for me. While I thought I had everything on hand for my culinary concoction, I was dismayed to discover the chicken had gone bad. By that point, the heart had gone out of the endeavor and I had no desire to go to the store for more meat. However, I think tomorrow I shall delve into a new realm and attempt some lemongrass and clam soup. It can also be quite satisfying when sick.

Ramen to the Rescue

Here's a story from a few weeks back that I've been meaning to share.

It was once again that time of the month - time to pay the rent. The landlady would be arriving shortly for her monthly collection so I made my way to the corner 7-Eleven to use the ATM. After withdrawing the necessary funds, I came to the sober realization that I had an equivalent of $1 US in the bank until my next pay day, still at least 2 weeks away. Wow. Though I had just had my best summer since being in Taiwan, it was probably my worst summer financially. The cutback in hours for the summer schedule in July and August were catching up with me now in early September. Basically, for the next few weeks, I was broke. There was not even money to spare for those little luxuries in life known as food and water (yep, gotta buy drinking water). Now it's true, my cupboards are full of food, but most things require an ingredient I don't have in order to make them.

As I got back to my apartment, I was thinking some more about what it meant to not even have money to spare on food for the next few weeks when the doorbell rang, or chirped, as the case may be. It was the landlady, no surprise. As I handed over the envelope of money, she handed be a paper bag from the grocery store. Inside where two big packs containing 10 regular sized packs of Ramen noodle soup. She found this particular kind to be good and thought I might enjoy it, though no, she's not in the habit of bringing me things. As we said good-bye and I closed the door, I couldn't help but chuckle at the though of how only minutes earlier I was wondering how I was going to afford food and here it was, free food being delivered to my door. Oh, the irony. It reminded me so much of friends' stories about praying for something and God answering their prayer but in a way very different from what they had in mind.

Oh snap! At the same time, what a slap. I hadn't even gone to God about the situation. I was still mulling over it in my own mind. I appreciated the reminder that God cares for us and about us even when we think things too insignificant to bring before Him. What a great reminder of His provision as well as a reminder of the insignificance of things of this world and how often I spend too much time toiling over things I shouldn't. For the second time that evening, I felt stunned.

The following morning, a group of people were at my house for house church. A Taiwanese friend I hadn't seen in a while happened to come and brought a large jug of tea for me. She claimed her father sent it to thank me for a time that I treated her to lunch. It was a thank you for looking out for her. Oh, the object lessons seemed to be coming in abundance that weekend. I was reminded of how God can not only meet our needs but exceed our expectations. It's cool too how God can bless us through those who are Christians, and through those who aren't, like my landlady.

Cynicism with a side of Sarcasm

Bunny. Now there's a word we never seem to teach to kids in Taiwan. Rabbit, they know, but bunny, not a clue. Anyway, that's not the point of this exercise.

One Friday night after a long week of work, I stepped outside the front doors of the school and saw a white rabbit hanging out at the shoe rack. I probably did something like rub my eyes in disbelief or checked to see if someone was hiding nearby carrying out some sort of practical joke, for not more than a few yards away is an area known for park dogs, against which a rabbit would not stand a chance. Though it hopped into one of the cubbyholes of the shoe shelf, it didn't seem to mind my approaching it. Obviously, it had been someone's pet. Apparently that someone decided they no longer wanted it and as people here tend to do with their dogs (even expensive purebreds), the owner dumped it off. After all, it's common knowledge that domesticated rabbits are known for their street smarts and survival skills when abandoned in a city full of street dogs. I'm sure it was no accident that the rabbit was left near a school where surely some child, parent, or in this case, teacher, would take pity and adopt the stray street bunny. The plan worked. After calling out my co-workers to insure that I indeed wasn't seeing things, one decided to take it home, clean it up, and eventually find a new owner for it. We found out later that a few of our students saw a man drop it off outside earlier that day, discarding his once pet.

Last night, another Friday night after another busy week at work, I once again spotted a rabbit in a place where it didn't belong - my building's elevator. This time, however, the rabbit appeared in the form of the Easter Bunny on a newly posted sign. My guess is that the sign is regarding festivities at my complex for the upcoming Moon Festival, but what really caught my eye was the Easter clipart in a lower corner. You can't get much more Easter inspired than a collage with a cross, lilies, colored eggs, and the Easter Bunny. Sure, I suppose that not knowing it's intended use, one might not think it an unusual selection. It probably just seemed like a nice or perhaps even festive general purpose picture. However, I would think it quite obvious to not fit with the Moon Fest theme, but maybe that's just me.

9/28

To my cohorts in Taiwan, Happy Teacher's Day! Though the day has actually been labeled such to commemorate the birthday of Eastern scholar and teacher, Confucius, it's become used to recognize educators island-wide as well. While I didn't take in the morning festivities this year at the city's Confucius temple, it was still a day made a bit sweeter by the well wishes of students. For some reason, many seemed quite excited this year to bestow greetings, cards, and treats. It was such a nice day that it would have made for a great Friday to leave the work week on such a happy note, however, one more day to go. I rarely dread Fridays, but this week, I make an exception. What I hate more than going to the doctor's is going to the doctors in Taiwan, something I've gotta do tomorrow morning. Okay, time to redirect my focus to something more favorable - Sarah arrives in one week!

Cool.

Yesterday I was bestowed with good news not once, but twice. One of my best friends from the U.S. bought her ticket and is coming for a visit and a NZ photo of mine has been included in a newly released Christchurch guide.

Sarah-babey is coming to Taiwan - woo-hoo! Yeah, I'm beaming slightly. A friend from home is coming for a visit and in just 2 weeks - eek! - so much to do, but how exciting! The timing is great. She arrives on Moon Festival Day which means a 3 day weekend for me. Sadly, the day probably won't wind down by eating bbq and wearing pomelo peels on our heads under the full moon, traditions for such a holiday, but it's bound to be an exciting weekend nonetheless. Better still is another built-in day off while she's here, Double 10, Taiwan's national holiday. (Glad we'll be out of Taipei for that one, kid.)

As for the photo, that process began over the summer when I was approached about permission to have a photo considered for an upcoming Christchurch city guide. I had almost forgotten about it until I received word this week that is was accepted for inclusion and appears in the new guide. It's by far not one of my favorite trip photos, however, I guess it happened to be of something they were looking for.

and now... i've seen it all

I thought I had witnessed the most interesting dog-in-traffic senario the time I saw a man stuff his compact canine into his scooter seat, close the lid, and drive off. That one beat out the time it appearred that an English Sheepdog was driving a scooter as it stood on the floor with front paws on the handles while its peitite owner was behind it somewhere buried in a mass of flying fur. However, based on this afternoon's traffic encounter, I've surely seen it all.

In Taiwan, we have a plethera of what we refer to as "blue trucks." They're a small delivery/service/construction/makeshift-food-or-produce-stand type of pick-up truck, invariably painted blue. They have a rep for having careless, accident causing, often betel nut chewing, drivers. Yesterday, one such truck was ahead of me at a red light. Nothing unusal about that, expect perhaps that the truck was stopped at the light instead of trying to barrel through, but I digress. No, the unusual part was that a medium sized dog was sitting on the roof of the truck - not in the bed, but on the roof of the cab. The dog looked around lazily and yawned while the growing pack of scooter riders pointed and stared. As the light changed to green and the truck proceeded onward, what should the dog do but rise to its feet and stand, roof-surfing, as the truck made its way through traffic winding and weaving. True to blue truck driver fashion, the driver made wild illegal turns and sudden breaks. How that dog stayed aloft standing on the roof is beyond me. What a moment to not have a camera.

Instant Success

Ever find yourself wishing you could have instant success?

Well, now you can! Just head on down to your local Taiwanese baking supply store and get yourself a box today.

What must be baking powder, or baking soda, is a box labeled Instant Success. Though I've seen it here for several years, I still crack a smile when I pass it in the aisle.

Why didn't some marketing genius in the US think of this, or perhaps one had? Just think of the possibilities - All you need to make the perfect cake is a pinch of Instant Success. Sounds like something right out of the 1940's or 50's.

Blest Be the Tie

I was reminded of a favorite hymn as I played a cd this evening that was given me over the summer. The cd consists of guitar music performed by a member of my home church - mostly the musician's favorite hymns and some patriotic stuff, but I've been enjoying it greatly nonetheless. When it reached track 10: Blest Be the Tie, I was flooded with memories of singing that tune in church, especially during times when the church or its members were facing hardships. It's amazing now to reflect upon those times and see how things have changed or unfolded since then. What a joy it is to see how God worked through some of those challenges.

The song also brings a touch of comfort. Hearing someone I know, someone I even had weeknight "jam" sessions with on my bass, made home feel not so far away and somehow makes Heaven feel not so far away either. It's cool to think of the ties that bind us to others - others across town, across the country, across the world. This summer Becky, Rick and I had the opportunity to share a bit of our life, work, and ministry in Taiwan with our home church. It was great to form stronger ties with those already connect to us as prayer partners and wonderful to make new ties.

Finally, despite my current longings to be home experiencing a beautiful Fall, the song serves as a reminder that my delight should be found in the Lord, that my heart should be set on Heaven.

1.Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

2. Before our Father's throne,
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts, and our cares.

3. We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

4. When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

-John Fawcett, 1782

What a great reminder that no matter what far reaches of the earth I find myself, I am tied to those who lift me up in prayer and to those I pray for, bound to others by burdens shared, and joined with hearts in friendship and love.

Re-adjusting

My first week back on island from summer vacation could be characterized by a week of a solid Pop-Tart and popsicle diet followed by a week of cereal and slushies, though not combined. I'm pleased to say that I've finally incorporated the healthier and wiser choices of salad, fruits, omelets, and even soup. Due to my prevailing desire to have American foods, especially ones I can fix fast to limit my time spent in non-air conditioned rooms, I once again took to rummaging the cabinets in search of some treasures among the array of boxed and canned goods I've accumulated. What I found and settled upon was a can of Cream of Asparagus I bought a while back.

During all my years in the U.S., I never knew Campbell's made such a soup but leave it to Taiwan to import such an oddity. Anytime I have asparagus related grub, I'm usually reminded of the episode of Alf when Brian had to dress as a stalk of asparagus for a school play and his dad wrote a ditty for him to sing. It's one of the few episodes I remember. It's funny the things that stick with us from childhood, and sad the things that don't.

My discovery of the soup also brought to mind an episode with another American tv family. I couldn't help but recall the Simpson's episode with the hurricane that hit Springfield where everyone flocked to the store to stock up on necessities and all that was left when Marge got there were things like Creamed Eel. I suppose that while my meals for now might seem random or a bit odd, there will always be far worse, or at least more imaginative alternatives out there. As for now, I'm content to stick with the asparagus.

Kara needs . . .

I had forgotten how funny this can be until I was reminded by an old roomie's blog.
The basics: go to google, type "[your name] needs", and see what funny sentences are waiting to be made.

Here it goes:

1. Kara needs some eyebrow help.
2. Kara needs to be more humble.
3. Kara needs to remain as confused and as troubled as she is right now. (oh yeah!)
4. Kara needs a man.
5. Kara needs to have a civilian ID.
6. Kara needs to read on a daily basis. (Read. I knew I was forgetting to do something.)
7. Kara needs a little help getting her dress form out of the corner - and Santino won't help her - he's being really silly, honestly. (Dang you Santino, stop being so silly!)
8. Kara needs more cowbell! (I gotta have more cowbell.)
9. Kara needs prayer for a better job.
10. Kara needs to be picked up at the Ronald McDonald House.
11. Kara needs to be an esl teacher in Togo.
12. Kara needs to hear about Jesus.
13. Kara needs a man like a fish needs a bicylce.
13. Kara needs no one.
14. Kara needs a part time job and at least $400 a month from her parents. (Mom? Dad? Are you reading this?)
15. Kara needs to be trained by the Man of Steel.
16. Kara needs breathing space.
17. Kara needs business cards that say "Crash."
18. Kara needs a personal Tango guide.
19. Kara needs to be taken to a Pacific Island (Can I make a request? Tahiti or Bora Bora please.)
20. Kara needs someone to confide in
21. Kara needs coffee.
22. Kara needs to define who she is.
23. Kara needs to follow the yellow brick road.

kids in the kart

To my friend E, you're a dangerous gal. I think you remember people's childhood stories better than they do.

Well, here's a new one for ya. As I made a quick stop at the supermarket this afternoon, I was nearly run into by a mom pushing a shopping cart containing 2 young kids. Although, getting hit by a cart at this particular supermarket would not be anything out of the ordinary for me. Anyway, in place of a glare or eye roll, I couldn't help but crack a smile and chuckle when I saw the younger of the two boys in the cart, a tike under 2 years old. This was because his legs were decorated with marker doodles. I wonder if this was self-inflicted or the handiwork of his older bro. In any case, it reminded me of the good old days when my brothers and I used to give marker tattoos to each other, but particularly to my baby bro, something I had long forgotten about until today. For some reason, Mom was never thrilled to find the surprises on Todd's body when it was time to bathe him. Think what you will of me now, but in my defense, it was washable marker and I was not the worse culprit.

What else could I possibly drop in the toilet?

That's my question of the day. It seems as though my natural grace, a.k.a. clumsiness, is in full swing today. I don't even have lack of sleep to blame this time. It's just me. I'm just that clumsy that I dropped things in the toilet on 3 seperate occasions today.

Feel like some Japanesy?

Okay, this makes for my second question of the day. On my way home from work tonight I saw a sign for a Japanesy Supermarket. Umm, is that anything like a Japanese supermarket?

Back from Summer Bliss

Here I am, back from my month and a half disappearance from blogging. As I mentioned in a previous post, the summer, which is quickly fleeting, has been full yet fulfilling. Here's the break down of what's been happening:

Madness and mayhem began in June when it once again became time to teach children to jump through hoops on demand, or at least to teach one child to jump out of an oven while others chased him shouting- otherwise known as this year's kindergarten graduation production, The Gingerbread Man. Following the big event was a two day frenzy of converting the prop and costume making dungeon back into the livable space my apartment once was in time for my mom's visit.

Before the close of June, my mom arrived in Taiwan to begin her month long adventure. What a joy it was to have someone from my family finally come to visit and share in the experiences I talk and write about (okay, not the ones like the floor erupting or the gas explosion). It was great to have an excuse to visit my favorite restaurants and coffee/tea shops for a month, as well as a good reason to take weekend excursions to places like Kenting for a sand and surf break, Taipei to shop, sight-see, and ride in the world's fastest elevators to the observation level of the world's tallest building, Tai-chung to visit with friends, and Meinong, the hand-painted umbrella capital of Taiwan and place to make a special kind of tea.




As many moms tend to like to keep busy and feel useful wherever they are, it took awhile to get used to suddenly having a housekeeper and personal assistant around. I've been living sans roommate for almost a year now, so it was strange waking up to dishes that were already done. In all of her helping though, I especially loved that she was able to not only see but assist with a weekly children's Bible class that I lead.

My mom was able to visit my school and classes on a number of occasions. The kids, especially the younger ones, were usually excited to see her and not only because she often brought some candy to share. I let a few of my classes have an interview session and ask her questions. My highest level class with 10-12 year olds surprised me with their questions of "How did you meet your husband?" and "How did your husband ask you to marry him?" Not surprising though was the "How old are you?" question, but no cheating allowed. Several of my classes had been primed with my mom's real age, so they knew if she was trying to pull one over on them, much to her dismay. The best, however, had to be when one girl asked my mom what kind of make-up she uses because she wanted to tell her mom to use that kind so she can look young too.

I hope that with all the activity she was able to find her time in Taiwan relaxing and enjoyable, but if not, that's what our few days in Hong Kong were for - a sort of mini-vacation before a return home for my mom and a 2 week vacation at home for me. It amazes me how much we were able to cram into 3 days and yet still reflect upon the time in Hong Kong as relaxing. The highlights include visiting the not yet year old Hong Kong Disneyland, the Bird Garden, Flower Market, Jade Market, Hard Rock Cafe (for some Western food therapy, though the Chinese food we had was yummy), and a harbour cruise at night.




By the end of July, I was home at last. My mom, friends Becky and Rick, and I made the 3 hour ride home from the airport in style as my dad surprised us by picking us up in a stretch limo. Aside from the close proximity of family and friends, other wonderful things about being home included: fresh air, cooler temps, blue skies, green spaces, and stars. I also loved the fact that it doesn't get dark until around 9pm in the summer, I can drink the tap water, I can flush the toilet paper, I don't have to figure out how to translate things, and I can drive my car. Oh, and I love coming back and being able to shop at places such as Target and Walmart. It can be an almost overwhelming experience to suddenly be bombarded with so much choice and selection. I mean, whole aisles of nothing but cereal - who could want for more? Really though, it's not so much what's available as it is the fact that it is available, and at a fraction of the cost of imported goods in Asia.

For as much as stays the same from my year to year visits home, change is always inevitable. There are the tougher things to come back to, such as seeing loved ones in declining health and realizing those who have passed away within the course of the previous year really are no longer there. Thankfully, there are also joyous things to bring balance, such as marriages of friends and the birth of their children. Good or bad, it's sometimes challenging to come home to the reality of the life that goes on in my absence.

While at home this time, I greatly enjoyed hanging out with my bros, kayaking and road trips through the countryside with my dad, shopping and spending time with my mom, visits and phone calls with friends, backyard picnics, sleepovers, late night swims, cooking for my family as well as dinners out with them, visiting my home church, taking in a regional theater production, sweet corn from my uncle's farm, bowling, spending time with people, and just being at home.




My apartment never felt so empty as it did after spending a month and a half with people I'm closest to. Walking in the door after arriving back felt both awkward and sad, as reminders of my mom's visit still littered the apartment. Though I've made this trip several times, for some reason, I just wasn't anticipating the sudden shock of being alone again, something that I usually don't mind. My foreign apartment felt just that - foreign. As with each trip home, for the first few days I wake up in the morning expecting to open my eyes to my room in PA, to warm sunshine and a cool breeze, to birds chirping outside the window, but that's not the case. In its place is the drone of the air conditioner, a dog barking on a balcony, someone practicing a piano upstairs, and construction on the street below. It takes a bit before I stop wishing I'm still at home, before routine takes over, before life keeps on racing on.

It's the Grand Cha-hee-hee's birthday!

Wow, I can hardly believe my baby bro is 20 years old today!
I can still remember the day you were born - the day it was confirmed that I indeed had another brother and not a sister as I specifically requested. Oh, those crazy storks. Well, I learned to love you anyway. Happy Birthday Bro!

What's hiding in your cabinets?

Times of packing for travel or moving often bring about the discovery of things long forgotten in the back of closets, cabinets, or under the bed. While this certainly rang true while preparing for my recent trip home, my surprise discovery today was made while rummaging for a snack in the kitchen. I found a bag of Christmas tree shaped Doritos hiding in a cabinet. It's Christmas in July, okay, August. Wow, I wonder what other surprises await.