A Change of Pace

We are no longer in South Asia. We are now in the beautiful kingdom of Thailand. For a country that is so close, Thailand couldn’t be any more different, and we are greatly enjoying those differences. We are here, of course, for the birth of our second child, and we have come here to take advantage of the far superior medical facilities. We had a doctor’s appointment last Monday, and we were greatly encouraged by the whole experience. Besides the beautiful and clean building, world-class equipment, and knowledgeable staff, the most shocking divergence from our last experience in South Asia was that people were smiling. The staff was smiling and helpful, and the patients seemed happy to be there as well! There was even a sign in one area that said, “If you’ve been waiting more than 15 minutes, please see a staff member.” Needless to say the appointment instilled a great deal of confidence in us.

We are also enjoying a few other comforts of home, too, not that there aren’t some challenges that come along with those. Well, I say a few comforts, but there are actually many of those here that have made this first week and a half a much needed recharge for us. Here is our top-ten list so far:

10. Pasteurized milk (Lizzy’s contribution)
9. Burger King (P.J.’s contribution)
8. A Target(ish) supercenter
7. Cold-cut sandwiches from our fridge
6. Delicious Thai food
5. Having a car
4. Swimming in the pool every day
3. Never losing electricity!!!
2. A beautiful beach just minutes away
1. Air conditioning

Top these all off with the fact that there is a 7-Eleven nearly every block of road—sometimes 2—where Slurpees and strange barbeque pork buns, which can easily be confused with minced pork and fermented egg sandwiches, abound.