Top Ten...

I've noticed that a lot of people who blog, like to post top ten lists. I think this has been done by many people before hand, but here is my top ten favorite things about South Asia list THIS week. NOTE: This is all subject to change.
In no particular order:

10) TaTa Trucks
9) The view of the hills from our balcony
8) The sight of our Aunti Maddou in her kitchen cooking, while sitting on my bed watching a movie
7) The donkeys, water buffalo, cows, goats, sheep, camels, and elephants seen walking down the national highway!
6) Nationals asking me if I'm a local
5) Aloo parantha, Chana Bhatura, Poori and Chana, Chipattis and other National food
4) Abu, our little brother when he makes fun of the way I say to the dog "Jimmy a ja" (Jimmy come)
3) Our Uncle's laugh
2) National's reaction when I start talking to them in Hindi.
1) Sitting on our roof, knitting and talking with our neighbors, while "eating the wind" as they call it

I've often wondered if I've had a permanently LONG "honey moon stage" in the cycle of culture shock while overseas. Not to say there aren't days that are hard and tiring, but on the whole the good days FAR out weigh the hard. It's during those hard days that I try to remember hard days that I've had back in the states, or days that I was stressed out or frustrated back home. Most often I can think of times back in America that were much more difficult with having to use a squatty for a bathroom, or having a little mice in my house. It's those times that keep my life persepctive!