When we left the US for the Philippines in 2011, we had one way tickets. The only return date I ever had in mind was after Andrew graduated high school, five and a half years later. We had already moved the kids once, and didn’t want to shuffle them repeatedly throughout their high school years.… Read More New Seasons and All That Stuff.
We arrived in Taipei around lunchtime. When we were planning our trip, we agreed to mainly “eat local”, even if it stretched us. While wandering through the neighborhood near Longshan Temple, we spotted a packed restaurant and figured it must be the place to go. Lines are always a good sign. It was loud, bustling,… Read More Pink Slip or Yellow Slip? (Surviving) Eating Out in a Foreign Culture
Who read this as a kid? Alexander had a bad day, made up of little things like waking up with gum in his hair, not getting a toy in his cereal box, and having to eat lima beans. He threatens to move to Australia repeatedly, because he knows it must be better “anywhere but here”.… Read More Mars and Her Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
What happens when you burnout doing what you love? I’m not talking about work, I’m talking about life. I don’t hate life, I don’t think I feel depressed, I’m just…tired. And easily annoyed. Tired of the lack of organization, annoyed by the traffic, tired of dealing with the daily cultural nuances, annoyed with advice on… Read More Burnout, Hong Kong, and non-Pinteresty “Creative Spaces”
They said it would happen. I was prepared. I was warned that visiting the United States after two and a half years would serve up a hefty dose of culture shock. And for the most part, they were wrong. There were a few glitches here and there, our first trip to Walmart was probably a… Read More Time-Release Culture Shock? Yep, It’s a Real Thing!
It’s American Thanksgiving here in the Philippines! What does that mean for us? It means the bank is open, the mail is delivered, and every store is open. Some restaurants, primarily owned by foreigners, offer Thanksgiving specials that cater primarily to other foreigners, but for the most part, it’s business as usual. Recreating a “traditional”… Read More Thanksgiving Is Sort Of Here!
One of the more popular comments we get from people about living overseas is “You are so lucky! You are living my dream! What an incredible way to live!”. They’re right, it’s pretty darn amazing. When we made the decision to move to the Philippines, we knew there would be issues, inconveniences, and life would… Read More 20 Things No One Told You About Moving Overseas
So, this morning I woke up, stepped outside, rescued a stray kitten and fed ten orphans. Then, I walked down the road, prayed for a dozen people and saw them healed of leprosy and cancer and scabies and blindness. Finished off the morning (after eating a breakfast of local exotic fruits that not even the… Read More What Makes a Missionary?
Beware the Comfort Zone! 