I notice the things that are really important here. It’s the stripping away of all the excess, all the unnecessary that reveals the core of things underneath. I need communication, I need sleep, I need stimulation. I don’t miss the television, the culture of want or the pace of life at home. I do miss some things though. The intensity of relationships for example. It’s difficult to reach that same level here with the extreme language and culture barriers. But still, most times it is a welcome relief from the constant management of relations. Simple things are bets. I am sitting on my front stoop watching Mae Cee make Som Tam in a mortar and pestle. It’s beautiful to watch the way she makes food. It’s simple, ingredients pounded together and served with grated green papaya.
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