Let me start by saying how much I love Taiwan. Sarcastic by nature, I mean the previous statement without a shred of sarcasm. Truly, I really really like it here. Statements like that are always followed by big BUTS right? Yeah well, look out here comes MY big but. I feel like something is missing. I love the whole stay at home thing, and I'm certainly not complaining. I mean I know there's an adjustment after having worked, and my greatest joy is being with Wyatt...blah blah blah...I'll spare you all that whole saga again BUT seriously, I feel that something is missing. By something, I mean a big part of me misses my professional life. I miss working with people. I do. Gosh, is that crazy? I mean - social work is a profession that often has very little feedback but grief most days...BUT the days where there's that glimmer of something sinking in, or a client accepting a resource, or taking small steps towards progress, or utilizing a coping skill.....it's an amazing feeling. It is.
Anyway, how 'bout a change of topic, hmmmm? Today we're off for afternoon tea and cake followed by a late afternoon baking session at home. That's right, how about I eat my emotions. Hey, at least I'm showing evidence of self-awareness......BUT Wyatt is VERY into the show DC cupcakes at the moment and we thought we'd make our own this evening. No school for the rest of the week due to teacher's conferences. Wish me luck....
Aly, I continue to relate wholeheartedly with your posts about being a foreigner, being a stay at home mom, etc. I haven't taught for five years - already - and I wanna say it gets easier. It has for me. I find being a stay at home mom totally fulfilling now - when I didn't always. This past year, especially, after 3 years in the same place (Alabama - talk about being a foreigner!), I've had enough time in this space and in the relationships here to know what to do and what to say no to. A lot of prayer goes in that decision making process for me, and I was so content in my schedule this year - soup kitchen once a week with Dave, working with youth, teaching adult SS, reading 52 books a year, joining BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) and preparing for another baby. Sounds like a lot! It was! Yet there was time for it all with room for rest and hubby time to spare. Seriously!
ReplyDeleteThings are ridiculously different now that baby is here - like a "reset" button has been set and I'm back to square one. So it's gonna take some time for me to sort out what's next.
I have a friend who did a three year stint in Nicaragua (she's single) - who struggled and was lonely and sad for the first 18 months... then suddenly her life there started really forming, and by the time her 3 years were up, she of course didn't want to leave. Years later, she still talks about how much she misses it (and she now lives in super cool Austin TX). I think living in a foreign culture takes at least a year to settle in, then a year of trial & error (Dave experienced this in his second year in HU), and then after that, there's an ease and peace that rests on you in that place. This is my theory. Maybe for you it'll happen faster. But there is truth to the passing of time making things easier. 3 months is nothing to scoff at - but you must still be patient with yourself and your circumstances. God is good. He will be with you. He goes before you - and he follows behind you.
Love you!!!
p.s. you wrote that post on my bday, so you have to automatically forgive me for writing such a long comment.
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