how i got here, part two

I like to think that I hit the ground running once Madeline and I stepped off the airplane to join Chris in Thailand. He had already been working here for three weeks. The very next day, we were occupied with a bit of unpacking, finding out where to buy the groceries that I wanted, figuring out what to do with an energetic three year-old in very, very hot weather.  We'd moved here in July, a time when the majority of families in our community were on home leave, so the only other people around during the day were the handful of other families who'd also moved in the summer.

A lot of our first month was spent waiting. Waiting for our cable television to be hooked up, waiting for our internet connection to be set up, waiting for our sea container to arrive at the port. It seemed to past fairly quickly, despite that. We experienced our first beach resort holiday, checked out the children's museum in Bangkok, and explored the aquarium at the Siam Paragon shopping center.

By the time September rolled around, Madeline had been in preschool for a few weeks, and I guess I slowed down long enough to be hit by a massive case of homesickness? Depression? Frustration? Probably all three. I frequently felt ill if I spent time outside in the sun. I actually had to boycott the grocery store where I'd doing the majority of my weekly shopping because the prospect of wandering around Tesco Lotus one more time, pushing a cart that was unsatisfyingly half full because I just couldn't find what I was looking for because many things we like aren't available here, put me on the verge of an anxiety attack. It's now March, and I still haven't gone back.  The traffic began to get to me. I forced myself to think happy thoughts of a cool autumn in St. John's, Newfoundland, where I could eat pea soup from Belbin's, find all of Madeline's snacks readily available, and bad traffic meant that it took fifteen minutes to get home instead of ten.

I can't remember exactly, I think I pulled out of it as I started building stronger friendships with some of the other foreigners here. It was October. Chris, Madeline, and I had some really good adventures together, and life in Thailand started to be fine. I don't blink an eye anymore about buying my groceries at what's probably the most expensive place in town, because they usually have at least 75% of what I need. I can settle for that (and good mental health). Shopping for apparel for me is a depressing prospect, but I swear that this is the best place on the planet for affordably decorating one's home.  Massages and pedicures are cheap. Madeline gets to go to a private Reggio preschool. I think that there will always be things that I miss about Canada or frustrate me about our life in Thailand, but I have a feeling that when I run the final numbers in two or three years, we'll have come out a bit ahead.

Comments

[chronicler]

I am glad it is getting easier. And I am glad you shared this. I was thinking you must be superwoman because your seemed to quickly adapt and I knew I would have a difficult time in your place. Good to know you are finding it a challenge yet a great experience all the same. It amazes me how we can be emotionally affected by lack of the familiar, especially food.

[Helen]

I can't imagine moving so far away and having to deal with such culture shock. I'm glad that things are getting better for you.