Living in Luanda...six months on

For some reason, maybe because it's 6 months almost to the day that we've been in Luanda, it seems time for a reflection on where I am, what impression this place leaves now, etc.

To start, my last poll is indeed inspired by the way I currently feel towards work. I was the first person to answer the poll, and yes, I chose the first answer. Having been sick for the last week, and doing basically nothing that might be classified as constructive in that time, I've basically realized that either I am incredibly lazy, overly simple and easily entertained or just THAT over my current work situation. I didn't really enjoy being sick of course, but, honestly, I wasn't THAT sick, just possibly contagious, and therefore had to stay home. So I slept, I watched tv, I surfed the net, I thought about the wedding from every direction, got in touch with the wedding planner, made some headway on a few things, I made cookies one day, I napped...but I never got bored, I have to say. Anyway, I liked it because it was calm, and peaceful- not stressful and uncertain and uncomfortable like work is right now. I do hope that things change next year- that I get to move grades, that I get to have my own classroom, and that I feel reinvigorated to be teaching.

As a side note I think that maybe I could be one of those women that quits her job to plan a wedding- not because I like to be that obsessed with the wedding, but because I could focus on it. I think part of my lack of interest in working right now is that I'm nesting- no, I'm not pregnant- but, basically the thing that interests me right now is being with Joel, planning the day that will symbolically mark the beginning of our life together, and looking towards what might happen in our lives just after that- hopefully. That's what I want to do right now. And while I am trying to carry on with life as usual, I do feel like everything else kind of pales in comparison.

Anyway... so, work is work, and that is only one part of life...

As for the rest of life here...

We generally leave campus once a week. On Tuesdays. When we go grocery shopping. Aside from money I spend on the internet buying things for the wedding, this is really the only money we spend- currently running at about $300 a week. That includes some "treat" kind of foods, but mostly, that is just what it costs.

When we go grocery shopping we go to at least two stores, sometimes three. The first stop is always the expensive shop down the street where we change money, and pick up some imported stuff- like brown rice, sour cream, soy products, taco kits, salsa. Joel buys his meat here, because it's safe, though more expensive.

After this shop we usually go to the big local grocery store. This grocery store is as big as a grocery store back home would be- the difference is in the things it sells. There are probably 5, maybe 10 different kinds of cereal. There is one kind of honey, when there is honey. You can buy either whole flats of eggs or sometimes, fairly rarely, they have boxes that hold a dozen. Eggs cannot always be counted on to be there either, therefore I buy them by the flat. The produce section looks big, but is a let down. The food that this store sells is unfortunately mostly not local- which shows in the way that it looks by the time it gets to the shelves. I walk in every time really wanting to find stuff to buy, but, unfortunately, I rarely do. On our last trip I think I bought some cucumbers, maybe potatoes. Sometimes I get carrots there, but I haven't seen any in a long time. Onions, sometimes squash, maybe a zucchini.

I am coming up against being very bored with the food here. And it's hard because mostly the food that you can get is processed, in a box, canned, dry staples (pasta, couscous, rice). I want to be healthy, and I want to eat fresh food. I do want to lose weight, and not being able to get my hands on things like greens, fresh vegetables, etc makes that hard. Because when you can't get that stuff, you end up having to do SERIOUS portion control because all those other foods are so calories dense to try to lose weight. It's frustrating.

I have already told Joel that really, really good food has to be at the top of the list for must-haves for the next place we live. Which is why Asia or South America are the top next choices.

I still have not taken a picture of the beautiful little birds that live all around here. I love to see them- their blue bellies make me unbelievably happy. And they are so cute.

I am still in love with living in the heat. Although, that said, it is easy to forget how hot it is, when you have good air conditioning. During the week that I was sick, I was on the verge of wanting to wrapped up in blankets (well I was sick!), but, that is because I didn't really leave the house- and we do keep the inside of the house comfortable. In fact, sometimes, it gets downright cold in here, and then we switch the air off and warm up again. But, I think it's normal to want to be comfortable. I still relish the fact that when I walk outside I can be warm, that the sun shines 6 out of 7 days (maybe more), and that I never have to walk through snow, slush or driving cold wind. That makes me happy. I don't miss winter.

Since being here I have been out to eat maybe 5 times- we've been to the bars once or twice each. It's not really my scene, the bar scene here. Mostly because it's one of those doesn't start until after midnight kind of scenes. But also, I don't like the fact that to get to bar you have to drive an hour, and worse, an hour to get home again (when you'd really rather just be home).

I've been to the movies twice, once with the girls, once with Joel. The movie theater is actually quite nice on the inside. You can tell it's new, and hardly used (movies aren't really the kind of thing locals can afford to spend their money on). Unfortunately, they get an odd selection of movies- not really sure who picks them. The concession stand offers stale popcorn, canned soda or beer and water. Hmm, maybe packs of gum. So, it's not quite like going to the movies back home- but that said, you can openly bring in food from the mall food court, and no one says anything. So, if you want to bring your burger and fries from Wimpy's or Bob's in, that is fine- or if you want to bring your sundae from the ice cream shop, that is fine too. I suppose then, I should just plan better the next time we go, and buy some more favorable snacks before the movie.

We do spend a bit of time with people from school on the weekends. I mean, it's hard to avoid your neighbors when you live in a place like this. Often on Friday nights someone lights up a BBQ and everyone gathers on a porch and drinks either socially or heavily. Us girls still get together to talk weddings now and then. I still meet with the book club once a month, as I mentioned not long ago. There is stuff to do, and at the same time, it's easy to get lazy, and just hang around inside. We haven't been to the beach since Joel broke his hand of course.

I guess in the end, I neither love it nor hate it here. It's a place where I am existing quite nicely for now. I cannot see it being a place where I would be tugged to stay. Latvia was hard to leave for a myriad of reasons. But Shanghai, for as difficult as it was, and for as much as I had no real ties to the place, was also hard to leave- it did seem so full of fun and possibility (aside from the one real thing I was looking for- a man). I think that when we leave Luanda, it will be easy. Of course we are here for the experience, the adventure, the possibility of travel in Africa- but I don't think it is a place that will evoke in me a deep connection. We all have our places where we feel that- some stronger than others.

Ah, I'll tell you one more thing- this morning- ok I'll tell the truth, it was after noon- on my first foray into the bathroom, I was faced with a giant dead, or rather dying, cockroach. It's not really the thing that one wants to see first thing. But, from what I am gathering, roaches die always on their backs, in places where you never see them otherwise. I am faced with roaches in this way often in the classroom- but this is the first one we've found in the house like this. I wonder, if unlike cats or dogs, who go to find a secluded, dark place to die, roaches crawl out in the open for their last breaths. Perhaps it is that roaches are terrible, unforgiving creatures, and when they see one of their own dying, they drag it out on it's back to die away from the family. Who knows.

So, that's my 6 month update. Only two months until we travel to Zambia, and have some time in South Africa again- yay for shopping. I already have a list of things to buy that you just can't get here. So, here's looking forward!