We have been in Dili for 2 weeks now. Novelty has turned to reality, and my reality now is finding functionality in this new world of mine. (Tomr is a bit more deft than I am but this is no surprise). We have a spicket for water just outside the back door. This morning, Tom realized that a perfiect task for Hannah is to supervise the filling of 5 gallon buckets, which we then carry into the bathrooms and kitchen to fill the larger buckets (25 or 30 gal themsellves) to use to bathe, flush toilets, laundry and dishes. We had a hose (have) that ideally would carry the water into the house for us, but the pressure is too low, and it takes too long. The water is reliably on in the morning hours, than often stops running in the afternoon and evening, so I have got my morning task cut out,eh?
My favorite appliance is: The Fan! It is a good bug repellent when it is blowing directly on you, and it cools you down adequately, most of the day. I use it also at night, because even though we sleep inside our China Tour Tent (i.e. fancy mosquito net with poles and zippers), I prefer to be cool all night, not just in the wee hours of the morning.
I have taken to letting my 5 year old girl have strawberry Fanta at lunchtime along with her meal of rice, chicken and vegetables many days. Wouldn’t be allowing such things in Duluth, but, heck, it’s hot, she’s getting adjusted too, and her diet here is pretty darn clean! Speaking of diet, we eat the standard fare for asia: white bread with jelly, peanut butter, and coffee tea milk. Hannah has quickly learned to enjoy powdered milk, bioth white and chocolate-with room temperature water. We do not currently have a refreigerator, nor do we know if we will get one, but we are getting used to buying food for one day. That is, vegetables at the market, tempeh from the kid walking by at 5pm yelling TempehTempeh, theese things for dinner, or beans, or corn, and haveing only a few non-perishable items in the house. We bought a 25lb. bag of rice, and, so far as I can tell, nothing has crawled into the bag yet. Hannah did discover yesterday that ants like sugar, but not powdered milk or Timor coffee. Our little tableside cups for these 3 items were, after nearly 2 weeks, discovered by the household ants, and I had to throw out the sugar. Now we will store it in a sealed recycled peanut butter jar.
I hope you yourself are enjoying your coffeepots, your washing machines, and your cars (we don’t have one yet), and please don’t take them for granted, and don’t forget about all the good exercise you are missing out on by having running water in your home! Love hearing from you, please keep writing,
Monica
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Monica!!!! I miss you! For the life of me I couldn’t find the letter you send all of your patients before you left to find your email address. You should email me at mine, jennismith_84@yahoo.com so I get yours. I wish you were here, I have to make a real doctor appointment tomorrow
glad I found your blog so I can stay tuned! Eric Says hi.
Jenni Smith
Virginia, MN, USA
Hello! I promise to not take my washing machine for granted. Especially with near-daily loads of diapers to wash. I’m looking forward to fully potty-trained days. When do children there get potty-trained? Where does the white bread come from?
Peace to you all!
Jessica Olson
So happy to have found you on the blogosphere today! You paint a lovely snapshot of your new world…I’m really curious about what a battery operated mosquito racket looks like
.
I am using Liam as a gauge to how long you’ve been gone. It’s been 4 weeks and 4.5 pounds later. He is a chunk by Gort children standards. Adjusting well. Miss you much.
Danielle
Monica,
Summer is rolling along at what feels like breakneck speed here. It is amazing to have this medium to hear about and picture your life – how different it is. Will school be starting soon? How is Tom doing with getting to know the folks he will be working with?
We just returned from the Cities where Erik, Keith and Becca competed in the Northwest International Rowing Association Championships. Erik had a very good regatta and brought home some gold for Duluth (overall they finished in third place as a team). Becca had a disappointing event with odd official calls that ended up disqualifying a couple of her races…in one she rowed in an all boys boat as they were missing a member at the very last minute. (She stepped up and rowed with a very powerful boat of six foot something boys and did great, too bad their points didn’t get counted! Erik said she had a huge grin as they went down to the start to row against him in that race.)
My contribution was cheering and keeping everyone fed and hydrated…I also took one for the team and ended up being the only one in family to succum to the parasites in the lake water there and have a lovely case of swimmers itch on my feet and ankles.
We are continuing to look at colleges during this break in the baby action for me. This week-end will be a short sailing trip in the Apostle Islands.
The office is VERY quiet without you.
Missing you lots..please continue to write lots and often.
Love, Deb
Keep enjoying the Fanta!!! Savoring the sweet little pleasures in your new life. YES:)
Really enjoy the blog, Both of you, more and more people are learning about it and looking for it. Think of you often and with great love, Mom Liddle
Sounds like you are doing great! Strawberry fanta? There has to be like 45 grams of sugar in that! What has happend to you?
I actually had to take Will to a conventional doctor the other day… it made me miss you something terrible!!! Finley is trucking along well. We made it to the 5 month mark and he is so much bigger than Will was! Breast feeding like a champ and I barely have to use my pump anymore!!! He rolls all over the floor and can now sit up on his own. Where did my baby go?
We miss you… I am still sad we didn’t connect before you left but will look forward to getting pregnant when you return!!! Hope that makes you smile!
Take care and we are thinking of you all!
Love- Sarah, Al, Will and Finn
It tickles me that one of the ways you are adapting to the culture is to provide Hannah Banana with a daily Strawberry Fanta.
Look forward to the next instalment – great blogging!
Love Kristin
Hellooooooooooo over there!
You guys are just palin awesome! It is so inspiring to see and hear of the adventures you and your family are on. What growth. I can only imagine. The ants remind me of the ants in Fiji that ate my only stash of morning sickness food. Very resourceful. We are all great here. Aida has yet to walk but is having lots of fun in her prideful solid stance. She’s a real firecracker. And jonah is still the sensitive boy. he just asked what war is, yesterday. We weren’t ready for that one! I already miss your close presence in this community, but will revel in your awesome stories of doing such good. Way to go Monica. You rock. I love you and your family. I’m excited to keep up with all of your experiences and to hear about Hanah’s world. Love you. laurel
Hi Monica! This is such a great way to share your stories! I love reading them remembering my own developing country encounters with bugs, sweaty heat and surprises waiting for me when I showed up. Thanks for keeping us posted.
Love,
Amber
Liddles,
Peace Church misses you a great deal! We think of you often so it is great to see the blog. I am really awestruck at your willingness to live such an honest and committed life.
I am about to travel the 2 1/2 hours from Minneapolis back home to Duluth. It will be such a breeze after hearing about your “6ish” hour drive to Los Palos.
God bless you guys.
Jim McLean
Monica and family! I’ve tried this a couple times and I don’t think it’s work -or maybe it has, I’m just not sure anymore about anything.
I think I need to buy one of those fancy cameras (I guess you would need one too) so I could see your real live face again.
All is well. I guess besides the fact that Rowan has H1N1. Wally finally slept through a couple nights. Good thing too because I was starting to do things like not turning off the stove and leaving for 2 hours, driving away with the house phone on top of the car, driving to Lakewood and back with my cell phone on top of the car (the cell phone enjoyed the ride, house phone bailed somewhere along the way)…ah the list could bore you to sleep. Oscar is crazy about preschool and Rowan like Kindergarten well enough.
I MISS YOU!!!!!! That about sums it up for me. I really enjoy reading about your life there. I will check in again soon.
Love, Melanie