It Feels Like Home

It feels like home.

James Dobson once shared that it takes about 2 years to settle into a new home-even if the move is only across town. We’ve moved to the other side of the globe and changed living quarters three times since our arrival, so it is no small thing to say, “It feels like home.”

While Dana’s week is a mix of teaching in the classroom, running errands and doing house repairs, my week is between our little cottage and the classrooms at the Main House. I seldom even scale the second flight of stairs to the third floor.

Things have become more or less familiar-the sounds of the village out side our bedroom window, the sounds of ping pong games in our little court yard, even the scurrying of what I hope are squirrels and not other vermin, nesting in the eaves.

Even the language is sounding less strange. I can recognize words and phrases and piece together the gist of some conversations. With the exception of a few animal parts that we deem inedible- chicken feet and pig testicles- we have hardly had an adjustment to the food. We feel healthier and enjoy the wide variety.

Just when I think I have fully adapted. I have a “blog moment.” The day began with my usual consumption of Green Vibrance- a Barley powder, mixed in diluted apple juice. This is breakfast. I chase it with a bottle of lemon water that I carry to the classroom and consume before lunch. By 10:30 I am heading for the Lav. Only this day, the door on the bathroom was unable to close. The doorframe was bent. It was too late for me to seek out an alternative bathroom. My only option was to barricade the door. I am shoving the wastebasket, laundry basket and small plastic shelf against it. I even tried using the plunger as a lever against it. Although it did secure the door, sort of, it did not eliminate the crack- a one-inch gap at the base widening to more than two inches at the top. It would have to do. Thankfully the relationship between the door and the crack was in my favor.

Now I take a pre-water break leaving time to find an alternate bathroom until the door is repaired. Still, there is a great demand on these three rooms in the Main House, so a bucket full of water stands ready as a barricade and we’ve all learned to understand that this means occupied. At least this is my desperate hope.