The Good Things in my Life

The past couple of months have not been all sunshine. They’ve actually been quite tough for various reasons, mostly having to do with transition to living in the big city, culture shock, etc. etc. After deciding that wallowing in a mixture of non-desirable emotions is not how I choose to spend my time, I’ve started my PROGRAM FOR REINSTATEMENT OF GENERAL SUNNY DISPOSITION AND RESTORATION OF MARGINAL FEELINGS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND CONTROL OVER MY LIFE which includes a daily gratitude doodle journal, poetry, tiny plants, and exercise videos, along with an attitude adjustment. I’ve been on the program for two weeks now and it is working. On that note, see the positive things listed below.

1. I have a new house with a kitschy chandelier and two pink toilets. That’s two more pink toilets than I thought I would ever own, except for the one in my Grandpa’s house with the poodle painted on the inside of the lid, which I coveted for a little while when I was about 6 years old. But my two pink toilets also mean I have running water!
2. The rainy season is almost over which means less mosquitos and less mold on my clothes. No one likes to sit by you if you smell like mildew!
3. I now spend literally no time on hair care because I cut all of my hair off. And when I bring the hair that I cut off back to the States and sell it on the internet I’m gonna be RICH$$$$$$ (or I will have more money than before I did it.) And then maybe I’ll buy something ridiculous and luxurious. (Like this super-cool watch designed for blind people?!?! https://www.dezeenwatchstore.com/shop/all/bradley-mesh/)
4. I’ve begun teaching art one day a week at a Montessori school! I really enjoy it. So far, we have drawn family portraits and thumbprint flowers. Soon, we will make Halloween cat masks. I am very glad that none of the parents know me because the kids usually get paint on their uniforms. No mess no fun!
5. I just started a bunch of seedlings and I’m about to go crazy with a container garden. I have managed to coordinate the transport of two 100 lb bags of soil from their nursery origin point all the way to my courtyard which involves navigating five flights of stairs. NO BARRIERS WILL STAND BETWEEN ME AND MY SWISS CHARD!
6. A grocery store within a 10 minute walk of my house. I mean, it has everything from a deli counter to a vegetable stand outside. I’ll be eating well. With the aid of my…
7. Refrigerator! Which I recently acquired very cheaply. Now I can cook things and save them! Game changer! It sits well in my spacious kitchen (also tiled pink.) I have been drinking an impressive amount of iced tea BECAUSE I CAN.
8. Cute neighbor kids who call me Tata Yvan (big sister Evan.) They get really excited when I get home and we talk about everything they’ve learned at school. Then, I go into my locked apartment building which means that they can no longer get close enough to come to my screen door and lick it the way the kiddos did in Bante. There’s a happy medium. I’m planning on doing some of those fun melty beads with them (you know, the ones where you make a pattern on a little plastic disk with small spikes and then you iron the back?) when I’m a little more settled in. Very excited.
9. A woman who sells beans and bread with a smile right outside of my door. I never have to worry about breakfast again. Who doesn’t love beans on a baguette?
10. I’m coming home for Christmas/New Years! WAHOOOOO! Can’t wait to see everyone!

In the next week or so, be on the lookout for a ******SPECIAL PHOTO POST******