So surreal

[L]: It's just so surreal. We are about to pack to go home. We can't imagine that our 1st year being away from home is coming to a close.

Though we plan to arrive home in H-town on July 10th, we will actually be "en route" starting this coming Saturday. We will be stopping at 2 other places, on our way between here and America.

One fear that I have as I prepare for our return home, is feeling like I might have become more "socially awkward". You know... how some people just go away for a while and they come back "different"? I am not talking about "hip, cool different." But like "strange" different. There -- I said it. So if you see me with annoying mannerisms or newer quirks than before, please let me know. =)

One thing for sure is that I now have an enormous fever blister on the bottom of my lip. It developed over the course of last week, when things got so hectic that I didn't stop to rest or drink water. This always happens to me since childhood -- if I don't drink enough water or get dehydrated, I develop a fever blister on my bottom lip. It's almost like a tradition. Maybe it's His way of telling me to "slooooow" down. Also, the sun is beating down, and I am becoming darker and darker as I ride my bike each day. And I have some new zits on my forehead. Not attractive, I tell you.

Anyhow, I have more thoughts and mixed emotions about wrapping up this year. But I'll save that for another time. I should start packing now... to be continued.

a prized possession

[L]: So, we recently bought a mosquito net. Who knew that all the countless nights of the past (where at least one of us would wake up with like 5 bites on our faces) would be solved by just a simple net??! There were many nights when I would just pull the covers over my face, hoping that if they don't "see" me, they won't bite me. Of course, that's also because I am too lazy to turn on the light again (for the umpteenth time) looking for that one FAT mosquito that just recently sucked my blood. But, inevitably, we would then cave in, wake up, and hunt down that mosquito(es). The only compensation for this is getting to chase it down with an electric fly swatter (battery operated) and then hear the thing pop and sizzle. The mosquito basically then vaporizes into nothingness but a residual smoke.

Oh yes, the electric fly swatter (shaped like a tennis racquet)! They are mostly battery powered (sometimes I see ones that plug into the wall). You use it by swatting the mosquito and pushing a little button that sends an electric current through the thing. Of course, it also shocks humans too, so probably that is why they don't sell, manufacture, nor distribute in the U.S. (My guess is that it's like a law-suit waiting to happen). But here, in this side of the world, they are everywhere. Unfortunately, it's not very long lasting. Yesterday, I swatted a mosquito and it just got stuck and the electric current barely numbed it. Maybe its time again to buy another one.

Anyhow, back to the mosquito net. It's simply amazing. While sleeping, I can hear the mosquitoes. I sense their presence. I know that they are there. But the coolest thing is that they can't bite me (they are surrounding on the outside, while I am on the inside) -- so no need to wake up in the middle of the night. Now that, I must say, is a good night's rest. =)

pigheads, scorpions, and what else...?

[L]: Hi everyone!

I guess it's been a while since we've posted anything. It truly has been a busy month! Can you believe it's already June?!! We have been here for almost 1 year. Wowsers.

We just purchased our plane tickets to go home this summer! It just seems so surreal that we will be returning home! We will be in H-town from July 10th to August 12. (It really seems just like yesterday when we tearfully said farewell and left to come here!) After 4 weeks, we will leave to return to E.A for a 2nd year. Though we will only be home for a short time, we are super excited to get to see everyone. We hope that we'll get to re-connect with many of you!!!

When I think about going home... there are always tons of questions I have: One of which is, will I remember how to drive a car? Will I be scared of the freeways? Will my friends and family think I look different after being gone for a year? (Always riding my bike in the sun, I am now much darker for sure!! Yikes.) Has my English gotten much worse? How often will I find myself saying... "Oh, what a pity!" (It seems to be my local friend's favorite catch-all English phrase. Maybe they learned it from watching movies or something.)

And the hardest thing for me is to realize that life has gone on without us being home in H-town. Babies have been born. Friends have gotten married. People have moved around. Graduations have passed. Things have happened. A year has gone by. And we were not able to be there to share these big moments. Though my heart yearns in eagerness to see friends and family, a part of me knows that I will have to also grieve those by-gone moments that I didn't get to be part of when I see them. Though there are photos and stories... I will know that I didn't get to live in it with them. But that's the cost of being here and doing what we are doing. And we must continue to look forward and keep our eyes fixed on what's been given to us. And to continue to be thankful.

So, as to keep you posted on what's going on with us... a big highlight was that we got to recently see my dear cousin J! He came to a nearby city with a group of people on a business/school trip. It was so good to see family on this side of the world!!

Another interesting experience... Edwin & some guy friends got a chance to eat SCORPIONS for the first time ever! We were in a different city, and this city happens to sell scorpions-on-the-stick, sold by local street vendors, for about two bucks! The scorpions were still alive and moving around when they cooked (fried) them in oil!!! Yikes.




Here's another reality photo that I took when Edwin and I were visiting a friend in her hometown. It's a picture of a pig's head being skinned and cleaned on the street!!



Below: Here's a chicken perched on top of his cage. And if you look carefully, behind "him" is another chicken, except this one has already seen his fate (met his "end".) I would be a scared chicken...



Oh, and interesting signs. Can't seem to get enough of 'em!
"Don't disturb the growing grass." Maybe that's why we got in trouble for walking on the grass!



And my favorite command: "Please take care of these plants." I suppose that means to stay away?!



Okay, that's all for today! Will try to post again soon! =)