Bangkok...re-evaluated...

So, we have been here in Bangkok now for just over a year. I thought it is probably time to re-evaluate my feelings about Bangkok…

Let’s see, it been a tough year. Those of you who have done this moving thing will know what I am talking about…it is damb hard!

Leaving everything you know, and everyone you love, behind is no joke!

It was scary and hard to have to start over. We sold most everything we owned when we left Mozambique. So we had to start over on this side. On the one hand it was good, on the other it made things that much harder. I got to choose everything new and with updated taste. I got to organise from scratch. That was nice.

Living in an Asian country makes finding things I know that much harder. But after a year and with the help of friends that have been here, we have overcome that hurdle. I think the one hurdle one never quite gets over, is moving on from friends who have become like family, and family who is sorely missed in ones life. One makes new friends, but the void of the ‘old’ ones are never quite filled.

Now, it is not always negative. There are a lot of positive things that the Lord have blessed us with.

We get to make new friends, and those friends become like family (they have to, none of us have family close by).

We get to TRAVEL! We got to travel to so many amazing places this year, which we would never have been able to go to.

Some people only dream of going to places like Phuket and Krabi, and we got to go twice this past year. Twice in one year! How is that for a blessing! We saw God’s amazingly beautiful creations. One can do nothing but be in awe when one beholds such beauty.

We got to go to China. China, people! Who would have ever thought. And, God willing, this is only the start…

I have learned a lot about myself…not always the nicest…

What is it that I really want out of live, what is really important to me. I think that is a very important thing to learn about one self. Who do I really want to be spending my time with? What do I really want to be spending my time on?

I think the most important thing I have learned this past year, is to trust in the Lord completely. To leave it all in His hands. To say to Him, okey Lord, this is what I want, but I am leaving it over to You to do what You know is the best. After all, who am I to be telling God what He should do. I can only see a small part of the picture, He sees it all!

I think another important thing I have learned is to be contented with where I am. I was not all happy with living in Bangkok. It is noisy, crowded, busy and closter phobic. All things that I really hate. But someone told me something that will always stick with me. He said, you don’t have to like where you live, but you have to learn to be happy there, cause it’s not going to change. Wow, okey…! So it’s okey that I don’t love living in this crazy busy city. I don’t have to pretend to love it and be all chirpy and happy about it. But I HAVE to learn to be happy where I am. I can’t be miserable for the next 5 years…

So I have done just that. I have learned what I can do and what I can’t do with kids in this city. I have learned to use the good things that is to my disposal. To appreciate the good that the city can offer us. Now, believe me. I still have my days of thinking…what the hell am I doing here, where are the open spaces, where is rolling grass, where is the absolute silence…but now I appreciate it when I do experience it.

After all is said and done, I don’t know if I’m cut out for this moving around thing. But, I suppose, in time that is something God will also teach me…

So…it’s been quite a year! But I think we’ll be okey…I think…