here in PP for the old Griffin clan. As things stand, we have exactly four weeks left until we leave this, our adopted home of six months. In the meantime, Julie and I are keeping busy, she with her yoga teaching and I with my writing and both of us with a lot of enjoying now all of those things that we know we'll soon miss.
I'm reveling in steamed rice and bbq pork breakfasts. These are a staple of PP. Almost every block hosts at least one street-side eatery vending this fare. And while I try to wait until about 10:00 or 10:30 to have my "breakfast," by 11:00 or 12:00 these places have run out of pork and are cleaning up for the day. After that, it's hard to find rice and pork on the street again until the next morning.
I'm also going to miss saying hello and nodding to all of the people who have become a part of our daily lives: the moto drivers on the corner, the noodle lady at the Russian Market, the fruit lady around the corner, the money-changing lady who frequently gives Sila Kai a banana or other treat on his way to school, the neighbor who sells us fresh-squeezed cane juice, the other neighbor who sells us beer, and the transvestite hair dressers across the street.
I'm going to miss bicycling through the chaos, walking through the markets, seeing monks walking barefoot down the street, riding on motos at speeds that should scare me but don't, paying 75 cents for lunch, buying fresh coconut juice for 50 cents on the street, and so many other things. But I miss home, too. I miss Red Rocket Pops (among other things), and I have pledged to eat more of them upon my return to my native land. But, for now, I'll continue to revel in those things here in PP that I'll only be able to have for a short time more.
What would you miss about your community, your life? Going to the beach? Hitting that pizza joint down the block? A favorite chill spot? Whatever it is, Enjoy it now, is what I say. Do it while you can. That's what we're trying to do here. We're trying to live the life we'll want to remember later. I wish you good luck doing it while you can, wherever it is you are right now.
I'm reveling in steamed rice and bbq pork breakfasts. These are a staple of PP. Almost every block hosts at least one street-side eatery vending this fare. And while I try to wait until about 10:00 or 10:30 to have my "breakfast," by 11:00 or 12:00 these places have run out of pork and are cleaning up for the day. After that, it's hard to find rice and pork on the street again until the next morning.
I'm also going to miss saying hello and nodding to all of the people who have become a part of our daily lives: the moto drivers on the corner, the noodle lady at the Russian Market, the fruit lady around the corner, the money-changing lady who frequently gives Sila Kai a banana or other treat on his way to school, the neighbor who sells us fresh-squeezed cane juice, the other neighbor who sells us beer, and the transvestite hair dressers across the street.
I'm going to miss bicycling through the chaos, walking through the markets, seeing monks walking barefoot down the street, riding on motos at speeds that should scare me but don't, paying 75 cents for lunch, buying fresh coconut juice for 50 cents on the street, and so many other things. But I miss home, too. I miss Red Rocket Pops (among other things), and I have pledged to eat more of them upon my return to my native land. But, for now, I'll continue to revel in those things here in PP that I'll only be able to have for a short time more.
What would you miss about your community, your life? Going to the beach? Hitting that pizza joint down the block? A favorite chill spot? Whatever it is, Enjoy it now, is what I say. Do it while you can. That's what we're trying to do here. We're trying to live the life we'll want to remember later. I wish you good luck doing it while you can, wherever it is you are right now.
