Perfect morning

Despite my jetlag, waking up at 3am, and being unable to fall back asleep, I had the most perfect morning.

Independence and being comfortable in my new surroundings has been coming in small steps. Yesterday was the first day I walked home from work, and today was the first morning I walked to work. The weather was absolutely perfect. Sunny, with a light breeze, and right before the humidity has set in. I felt so inspired I took a picture of my building to remember the morning.

Last night I decided to hit the gym - something I haven't done in a long time. Well, it's a gym. But the guy told me everything is "manual" and not "automatic". Not knowing what that meant I went on the treadmill to find it wouldn't move despite pressing all the buttons I could. I went back to him and he said, it is manual. He came, and what he meant by manual is that to raise the treadmill, you have to take out the screws, re-adjust the platforms, and put the screws in. I told him the main part didn't work. He said, like this. You basically have to hold the sides and then move your legs. It's like a thin sheet of rubber stuck on a metal frame. After trying that for less than a minute, I felt so exhausted and discouraged. I tried doing the bike for a bit, weights. And to give a better picture of what working out means in a former soviet country, I used the jump rope in the health facility and jumped for the first time in years.

I decided to try going for a run the american way. Mind you, I am a terrible runner. So terrible, that my doctor ordered me to go see a cardiologist to check my heart. In any case, on my short run in the neighborhood, I passed by a supermarket and a drapery store. The supermarket was very simple, but it was good to find one in the area. Slowly I am venturing out of my hotel lobby's radius.

And now onto another day of work.... we'll see what happens today.

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430pm

Oddly, homesickness is starting to set in. I didn't expect this so soon. I miss having normal conversations with friends about random whatever that's going on in our lives. So far my days are filled with work related discussions, but I am finding the need to want to connect on an emotional/personal level. Strange, I didn't expect this. I thought loneliness/fear of being alone in a foreign country would be a tough challenge. I think now I understand why a friend of mine who worked in Korea once called his friend after several months there and said, could we just stay on the phone and talk for a bit? I just want to hear your voice.

Funny, this is all such an interesting learning experience. Focus, find other ways to connect instead of conversation while you're here...