Coping with Living in Another Country

Coping with Living in Another Country

It has been six months now. Am I adjusted? In many ways yes, I have a routine, I can buy groceries, go to restaurants, hang out with new friends. But, deep down, it still feels very different. There is always a looming feeling under my calm facade of the unknown that I will not be able to handle. I like handling my life, in fact after twenty some years, I am pretty good at it. But there is something about living in another country and culture that can take away that calm confidence. In the time we have been, here we have handled taking a friend to the emergency room. Jake helpfully asked him about his sex life with our trustworthy Lonely Planet phrasebook (our friend had cut his finger). We took our dog to the vet, language wasn't an issue because she didn't know what freaky animal had given our dog such a vicious bite. We have a bank account (it only took 4 months). We can pay our bills online (six months, Jake figured it out yesterday). So we are learning to handle life in another country...

But how do you cope? I think everyone does in different ways. I know I am reading a lot more and that I am quieter at home then I used to be. I check facebook religiously...I miss my old friends and I like seeing what they are up to. I have thought about learning how to cook, thought about being the key phrase. But how am I really doing? As I look out the window at a view that is pretty familiar by now, I am not sure if there is a good answer. I am okay. I no longer have the restless feeling I had in Colorado, which is a good thing. I love trying to learn a new language... though I have a tendency to say dirty things in Portuguese to people without realizing it, we'll save the details for another post.

Right now, I wish I could have it both ways. I wish I could be with my sister, her husband, and my new niece. I wish I could relax with my parents and my in-laws. I would like to eat a chic-fil-a sandwich and some good Mexican food. And I want to be living in another country, experiencing new things, and learning a new language. I am lucky to be doing one of the things on my list, but it would be great to have it all, wouldn't it?

The Hammock in Our Living Room

When we decided to move to Rio a year ago, we began researching and trying to learn about Brazilian culture. Somewhere, and I am not sure where, Jake found out that Brazilian's hang hammocks in their living rooms. We have been here six months and I have yet to see a hammock in any one's living room except the one proudly hanging in our own. As I type, Jake is trying to teach our 60 lb. boxer (Xuxa) to climb in the hammock. Xuxa just nailed him in the nuts while trying to jump in the hammock. It looks like...oh wait he is going to try again. He has the nerve to tell the dog that she is a pain and she would love sleeping in a hammock.

Jake actually got our dog to lie in the hammock and she looked happy about it. I have a good feeling about the hammock hanging in our living room. It portends good things to come. In the U.S. I never would have considered hanging a hammock in my living room, but why not? Why do our living rooms have to look a certain way? What does the "right" living room look like?

What does your living room look like? Does it represent you in some way? If some one just walked into your living room, what would they learn about you?

Here I am World

Caro World,

I have always struggled with sticking my foot in my mouth, not saying enough, and hiding too little or too much. I think the blogging world has opened the door for those of us that may never get around to writing the book that hit the bestseller list but we are just a bit too much of an exhibitionist for a diary. So here goes...

Beijos,

Andi