It's finally happened. I caught myself holding up a box of cereal and remarking, "It was only $6." After my friend responded, rather dryly, "A real bargain," I had to stop and consider.
I guess I've changed. I feel such a loss of the small things, fresh fruits and vegetables, that I am now willing to pay for $6 for 4 oranges or a box of Honeycombs (they were worth every penny! yummmm!) I find myself spending more on groceries than when we first arrived as my mind has slowly accepted the exorbitant prices and come to terms with what might be considered a bargain. I've stopped imagining the grocery shelves of home, lined with sales and discounts in the $3-$4 range. I guess this means I'm acclimating. My new range is $5-$10. Yes, I spend $8 on a package of 6 hotdogs so the boys will actually eat something for lunch besides bread.
I think what's more important to realize here is that this change is not limited to the price of my groceries. It signals an acceptance of things that I'm sure I've yet to comprehend. It is a subtle shifting of perspective to my relative environment.
I now read The International Educator and become enchanted with the question, where do we want to live next? This new world seems vast and open, yet it contains within it an (odd) community of drifting nomads ('global nomads' and 'third culture kids' were the terms I recently read about when refering to the children of such families.) The thought of leaving Africa still creates that bottomless pit anxiety feeling that lets me know I'm not quite ready to move off the continent. But still, I'm left with possibilities.
I've also begun to consider the qualities I want in a school. It's something that began with the AISA conference, where I was able to meet and talk with educators from around Africa. The quality of schools seems to differ greatly as does their involvement with the local community. And this is one of my passions; it's why I am here to begin with.
I am happy with all of these changes and most often simply wondering why it took me so long to get here, in these familiar surroundings where nothing looks or feels like home, but everything is exactly as it should be.
