Magnolia

Magnolia

Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Homesick?

Homesick.  Webster's Dictionary defines homesick as "sad or depressed from a home or family while away from them for a long time." 

I've never really experienced being homesick. Both my children are grown and live away and have been for years. When I joined the Foreign Service, I sold my home, car, most of my worldly possessions and off I went.  I was assigned to Honduras, to Muscat, Oman and volunteered for 2 years in Pakistan.  Since I didn't really have a 'home', I never felt that feeling of being away.  I have never really experienced being homesick.

Until now.

I've been in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei for a little over 14 weeks now with a little over 6 weeks to go...and I miss my bed. I miss the routine that I established since I retired in July of 2014. I miss my new kitchen. I miss my car. To me, that sounds so foreign, so unlike me.  I've tried to figure out if maybe I miss something else that could be causing me to feel the way I do but I can't think of anything.  So I guess I am finally experiencing being homesick.

It's not like I'm  unhappy here.  I'm really not sad, as Webster's states I should be. I'm really enjoying the work, the people I work with and this lovely country. But something is missing. It could be that I spend too much time in the house instead of out doing things. But on the plus side, I'm putting my entire paycheck every two weeks in savings and am trying to spend as little as possible while I'm here.  Most of what I spend is at the grocery store! I only brought 2 suitcases and am allowed much less weight on Royal Brunei Airlines going to Hong Kong than on American Airlines from Hong Kong to DFW.  Besides, there aren't many souvenirs to be found here.

I might be feeling this way because I've successfully settled into retirement and am truly happy.  However, the opportunity to work again doing something I love, earn a salary again and see more of the world was something I just couldn't turn down.

I think I'll just have a glass of wine and get over it...who wants to join me?




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