I’m not sure
how brave this new world is, but it’s definitely new. Everything is different, as it should
be. I live in a large expatriate
community that caters to Western sensibilities.
Stores import Western foods, and as a result, they are expensive. I don’t care; some things I just have to
have. Doritos made over here do not
taste like Doritos back home. There is a
Coca-Cola plant not far from where I live, and the Cokes, while delicious,
don’t taste exactly the same as Coke from the States. I can’t say whether the taste is good or bad;
it’s just different.
The people I
work with and live with are friendly and accommodating. Since they’ve become my extended family by
default, this is a good thing. My new
home is a small apartment high above the city, and it’s perfect. I have not set about decorating just yet, as
I’m waiting on my first payday. I’m the
sort who decorates room by room, and since we’re not allowed to paint, that
sends me in a different direction. I
like bold, vibrant colors, and I am fortunate to have a solarium just off my
bedroom. It will become my reading room
and haven. It looks out over the city
and I can’t wait to furnish it.