This is our first Christmas alone in 20 years. Our first Christmas was 16 days after we were married. Dan bought me an aquarium, I bought him a Tigger sweatshirt from the Disney Store. I think he finally surrendered it when we moved overseas, cuffs frayed and the whole thing faded. It would have made… Read More Christmas 2.0
With over 7000 islands, the Philippines contains hundreds of cultures, people groups, and languages. The languages have common threads, but they are far more diverse than expected. Since there is a need for a common baseline of communication, English is widely spoken throughout the country. Hey, that’s awesome news for us foreigners, right? We don’t… Read More Confessions of a Foreign Language Learner
This last Summer, we visited the States for the first time since moving to the Philippines. We were invited to speak at a handful of home groups, to share what we do overseas, show a slideshow, you know, the usual “tour”. Being able to reconnect to old friends, and make new ones, was so needed, and… Read More The “Price” of Being a Missionary. Or…”Did You REALLY Need That?!?”
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!
Beware the Comfort Zone! 