Finally Here

So we apologize for not giving an update until now...life has been fast and furious since we hit the ground in our new home city of K-town.  But after four layovers spanning 2.5 days, four different countries, and three different airlines, we've finally made it!  And all of our luggage arrived with us, which is no minor miracle.  Yesterday marked two weeks since we've been in country, but it feels more like two months.  Our days have been full of orientation to our new home....and overcoming jet lag.

We were asked about our "first impressions" by one of our new teammates who has lived here for years, and it got us thinking.  There are some places in the world which at first feel very different from what you're used to, but soon you realize that fundamentally they are very similar.  This is not one of those places :)  We were told that upon entering a culture like this one (which has few Western products or foods, very little English, and a completely different alphabet), most foreigners find that their ability to function has been reduced to that of a 3 year old.....and that could not have been more accurate.  It's really strange to have to re-learn the smallest of things like where to get food, how to buy furniture, or even how to throw away your trash.  (As it turns out, we just hand our trash to the chowkidor - the guard - and he throws it into the juey, which is the open ditch next to the road serving as the sewer.  And if you're wondering - YES, it reeks.)

We did move into our apartment already, and that has certainly exceeded our expectations.  The kitchen might actually be nicer than the one we left in Durham!  We'll post some pictures as soon as we get the place set up.