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Monday, August 16, 2010

Life in these United States

Living in the States is different. For example, I find that I don’t need quite as many things. Like peanut butter. I no longer need peanut butter. There’s something about living abroad that causes an intrinsic need for peanut butter. It’s not a desire. It’s a need. I suppose it’s the principle of supply and demand—since it’s virtually unobtainable in some places around the globe (such as Russia, Jordan, and Egypt) I crave it for breakfast lunch and dinner. Now that it’s readily at my disposal I find that I simply don’t need it.

I also don’t pray nearly as often as I did while living in Egypt. Don’t get me wrong: I still pray often, I just don’t find myself begging for my life every time I cross the street. The streets in America are wide; we have stop signs, traffic lights, and crosswalks; and I have faith in these inspired human conventions that are lawfully enforced. While this doesn’t lessen my faith in God’s ability to keep me safe I simply don’t feel the need to bother him with my incessant supplications every time I reach an intersection (and sometimes in between). Nor do I feel the need to sprint across the street while having an internal battle about whether or not I should keep my eyes open (usually I would end up squinting). My mom said it best when she said, “Egypt is one place where you pray for a safe journey before you leave the house and really mean it.” Amen.

I’m already beginning to miss summer, though, and I’m getting really nervous for winter. Do you know how long it has been since I’ve seen snow—aside from one solitary morning in Spain last January? It’s been well over two years. I hate the cold with a burning, fiery passion. It’s beginning to look a lot like autumn, though—fall is in the air, back-to-school sales are being celebrated nation-wide, and it’s freakishly chilly in the mornings. I am looking forward to autumn because it’s one of my favourite seasons but at the same time I’m really sad to see autumn at our doorstep because it means that my eternal summer is nearly over. I have three favourite seasons—spring, summer, and fall—but I would gladly give up both spring and fall if it meant I never had experience another winter (though I would still reserve the right to pine for snow on Christmas, but only on Christmas because snow on Christmas is lovely).

I think, despite the imminent snowfall, that we’ll survive our state-side sojourn, what with all-you-can eat peanut butter and stoplights blinking that bright red and green…

5 comments:

  1. I still pray every morning that I'll be safe on my way to work, and won't have encounters with anyone until i'm in the store. I've just had way too many creepy experiences, so it became important enough to pray about. :)

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  2. Yumm.... Peanut Butter.... something I didn't need to read 2 hours before breaking the fast :)

    I remember PB was sold at Metro and many other supermarkets in Cairo... It was relatively expensive though, and with other much cheaper breakfast and arguably tastier alternatives available, I doubt I would choose it for my daily breakfast...

    Over here in Canada of course it costs me like 10 cents a day :)

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  3. @TareX--That is exactly why PB was unobtainable for us in Egypt--it was far too expensive for our budget and just sat there on the shelf taunting us.

    @Diana--We, naturally, pray for safety everyday but not quite with the same ferver as we used to. We pray for Daddy to get to work safely and to return home to us safely and ask that we can be safe throughout the day but I haven't ever prayed (quite sincerely) here, "Please help me not to die while crossing this street." :)

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  4. I hate winter here in Germany too! With its incredibly short days and everlasting rain and/or snow. It really comes on my nerves. That's why I always enjoy my visits back to Cairo the most during winter. The weather is so crappy in Europe and so great in Egypt then!

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  5. Oh yay hooray for fall being here and winter on it's way!

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