I have definitely noticed coming
back to a place you’ve been before eases any transition. We had forgotten many little things, yet they
have not surprised us as much upon re-experiencing them. For example, all the staring from people we
pass, restaurants being out of menu items, the heat, the bugs, and vocab!
It has been quite the first week back so far. After getting mostly settled, we gave ourselves a little “return home” party on Sunday. Learning
from our farewell party, we rented a tarp and chairs in case it rained.
Well it did and turn out to be so muddy under the tent, we ended up using our neighbors'
covered carport area anyway.
We decided to
serve snack like items instead of a full meal.
We ordered donuts and other pastries, while I made Mung Bean
Pudding.
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Mung Bean Pudding
Doesn't look like much, but is quite tasty: consisting of
mung beans, brown sugar, white sugar, and coconut milk.
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That morning while I was
cooking, our tank water ran out. The city water usually only comes on
full force in the afternoons. Later that
day it came on as a small trickle, at which point we found out the full flow of water
changed to only three days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. So, that
morning as I prepared for our party, which was to start at 9am, I just stacked up the dishes and
did what I could. I always forget how
much I was my hands until I’m without water.
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Shredded Coconut
I decided to press my own coconut milk, which is pretty easy, just time consuming, when you have water.
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Also as I was cooking, cockroaches started coming out of our broken
floor. Thankfully we had bug spray so I quickly sprayed them and the
holes, which only made more come out.
I was afraid to continue standing in the kitchen, but pudding had to be made! When I did finished cooking, we had enough water in a bucket to
shower, though I’ve never showered with less water in my life.
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| Our coffee table with pastries and water. |
The actual party went well. Neighbors and friends came, at staggered enough
times that many of them we hosted inside our house.
By the time people stopped coming, a small trickle of water had returned so dishes could be washed and the floor mopped!
Since then, we are learning to manage without consistent water. At
last on Tuesday we were able to fill our water tank. We have now figured out how to do multiple loads
of laundry on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Our washing machine can handle multiple loads, as can the full flow of
water on those days. Trick is hanging them to dry with limited line space
and sunlight as the water comes on in the afternoon.
That has been our crazy transition back so far.
Though it has been quite stressful at times, it mostly is just annoying. In spite of it all we really have been given
incredible attitudes! So all praise to Him! And our electricity has been consistent, so
we’ve had AC in our bedroom!!!
As for now we are trying crazily to find
a new house to rent. One which seems
more structurally sound (no sink holes), has consistent water, and is in a
neighborhood where more people speak the Barat language.
