Yet another week has passed and I'm remembering something. Details are fine in spurts for me but lose their luster over time. Therefore, I'm starting to notice that cleaning my house is becoming more difficult to convince myself to do. The fun part now is figuring out how to convince myself otherwise. One mistake I made this weekend was taking my computer home. I spent my entire Saturday watching movies when I should have been doing some cleaning. I am way too easily distracted. If I don't have a computer at home I still often get distracted by reading a book but that is a bit more productive than watching a movie in my opinion.
I'm also starting to wonder if I'm not starting to get near my burnout point again. I've noticed myself getting more pessimistic about certain things lately and I just realized I've been 3 straight months in Bangladesh. Usually the 4th or 5th month is when I really start to notice it. It makes me wonder how much we control these feelings and how much they control us. I mean, I'm normally a go with the flow kind of guy but I always find myself getting worn down after so many months in this country. If I had a lot of control over that, you would think I could just apply a positive attitude and do better for longer. By all means, things have gone really well in my life lately but that doesn't seem to be stopping this, if this is indeed the start of burnout. If I do accept that it is somewhat beyond my control; how does one come to grips with that? How do I deal with the fact that I know I'm going to slowly get more grumpy over the next two months until I leave for America? Right now I'm not doing so bad at all, I just suspect this is coming. Then again, maybe this is just another situation in which details lose their luster for me. Maybe the solution for my house cleaning is the same solution I need to figure out for my life in general. I'll try to let you know if I figure anything interesting out.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A Girlfriend?
Some of you may be aware of recent events in my life and others may not be so I figure I'll tell this story once and get it all out of the way.
I now have a girlfriend. She is real and not a cat as my brother has suggested. Her name is Esther Clarke and she's a teacher at Grace International School in Dhaka. She is Irish with a lovely accent and a beautiful smile. We originally met at a party some friends were having and I assisted her to win a game of Settlers (meaning I lost badly). That didn't lead to anything other than an invite to the next party with that group of mutual friends which happened to be her birthday party. We didn't really talk much their either but I brought some cookies and cake that I had baked which led to us talking on facebook.
She seemed pretty cool on facebook so I asked if she wanted to get coffee the next time I was in Dhaka for a weekend. She obviously said yes. We met for what I thought would be 1-2 hours and a cup of coffee on a Saturday afternoon before I headed back to Bogra. It was 4.5 hours later when either of us bothered looking at a clock. She was late to make dinner for some friends and I was late to catch a bus to Bogra. I think both of us were pleasantly caught off guard.
Things have progressed from there smoothly even though I'm still not sure what she sees in me. ;-) As far as what I see in her...well I guess that is for another post but I will say one thing to calm any fears my family might have, she can take being the butt of a joke and that is really all it takes to fit in with us right? I look forward to seeing where God might lead Esther and I.
I now have a girlfriend. She is real and not a cat as my brother has suggested. Her name is Esther Clarke and she's a teacher at Grace International School in Dhaka. She is Irish with a lovely accent and a beautiful smile. We originally met at a party some friends were having and I assisted her to win a game of Settlers (meaning I lost badly). That didn't lead to anything other than an invite to the next party with that group of mutual friends which happened to be her birthday party. We didn't really talk much their either but I brought some cookies and cake that I had baked which led to us talking on facebook.
She seemed pretty cool on facebook so I asked if she wanted to get coffee the next time I was in Dhaka for a weekend. She obviously said yes. We met for what I thought would be 1-2 hours and a cup of coffee on a Saturday afternoon before I headed back to Bogra. It was 4.5 hours later when either of us bothered looking at a clock. She was late to make dinner for some friends and I was late to catch a bus to Bogra. I think both of us were pleasantly caught off guard.
Things have progressed from there smoothly even though I'm still not sure what she sees in me. ;-) As far as what I see in her...well I guess that is for another post but I will say one thing to calm any fears my family might have, she can take being the butt of a joke and that is really all it takes to fit in with us right? I look forward to seeing where God might lead Esther and I.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Almost forgot...
I almost completely forgot to post this week!
I moved this past week. I now live in town in Jodi's old flat. It is about a 5 minute walk from the office. It is a two bedroom apartment. Unfortunately, it was filthy dirty when I moved in on Thursday so I spent my weekend cleaning it from top to bottom. I've never loved cleaning but I think I realized something this past weekend; I don't hate cleaning like I thought I did. I think I just dislike being told to do it. I treated it like a strategy game and it isn't so bad. I first concentrated on one room which became my "clean room" which nothing could go in unless it was cleaned first. I've now got it down to just my bedroom and the kitchen that need a good cleaning. Unfortunately, I'm heading to Dhaka tomorrow before I'm able to get it done.
Having your own place is a bit of work but I kind of like it. I get to set my own schedule and it is all my responsibility so I don't have anyone else to blame if it doesn't get done. I like a sense of ownership.
This month is also Cricket World Cup! I'm understanding the game more and more with each day and I must say, I think it is way more interesting than baseball. Mainly because every ball is live as compared to baseball in which pitchers spend so much time feeling around the plate trying to tempt the batter to swing. In cricket the batter must defend the wicket from the ball every single time and the catcher will for sure cost his team runs if he misses the ball. The pitcher is also free to throw the ball at the batter whenever he likes. I still agree with Jodi though, the silly hats that the referees wear look stupid. :-)
I moved this past week. I now live in town in Jodi's old flat. It is about a 5 minute walk from the office. It is a two bedroom apartment. Unfortunately, it was filthy dirty when I moved in on Thursday so I spent my weekend cleaning it from top to bottom. I've never loved cleaning but I think I realized something this past weekend; I don't hate cleaning like I thought I did. I think I just dislike being told to do it. I treated it like a strategy game and it isn't so bad. I first concentrated on one room which became my "clean room" which nothing could go in unless it was cleaned first. I've now got it down to just my bedroom and the kitchen that need a good cleaning. Unfortunately, I'm heading to Dhaka tomorrow before I'm able to get it done.
Having your own place is a bit of work but I kind of like it. I get to set my own schedule and it is all my responsibility so I don't have anyone else to blame if it doesn't get done. I like a sense of ownership.
This month is also Cricket World Cup! I'm understanding the game more and more with each day and I must say, I think it is way more interesting than baseball. Mainly because every ball is live as compared to baseball in which pitchers spend so much time feeling around the plate trying to tempt the batter to swing. In cricket the batter must defend the wicket from the ball every single time and the catcher will for sure cost his team runs if he misses the ball. The pitcher is also free to throw the ball at the batter whenever he likes. I still agree with Jodi though, the silly hats that the referees wear look stupid. :-)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Bangladesh in the Fall?
I've had an interesting experience a couple of times in the last week. I've walked out the front door of my house and just been struck by how much Bangladesh seems like fall back at home right now. I know this is a small window in time before it gets ridiculously hot but these experiences are wonderful. The first time it happened in the morning as I walked out into some cool crisp air. I could just close my eyes and see the combines running in the corn and bean fields in that moment. The funny thing is that the rice patty helps the illusion right now. The recently planted rice adds a smell and feel to the air that makes it feel so much more like home. The other time I experienced this feeling was this afternoon when I left my house at 5. It was the warmth of the sun which you knew would fade with it and the brownish faded green of the grass that did it this time. It reminded me of the slow death of foliage back at home. All this is to say, enjoy the simple pleasures in life everyone. They come and go; you only have them for a moment.
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