Two months of normal(ish)

Lisa came up with (or stole) the wonderful idea of putting together our thoughts on the first two months of her time here. I warn you that the following may be disjointed, rambling, and at sometimes mushy, revealing, or totally insensitive. With that disclaimer out of the way, here goes the bullet points (i like bullet points).

• It's pretty great
• Having your wife around is awesome (if it isn't - maybe it's time for you to reconsider your priorities) so it's pretty obvious that it's a great. It took a few days to get adjusted to normal again but beyond that I'd say it's better than it's ever been as you're forced to communicate, work together, and enjoy time with each other more since we're fairly isolated. As a couple that's pretty awesome as it grants us the opportunity to grow closer and be more awesomer(yea, it's a word) than we would had we had all the convenient distractions of home.
• It's pretty stressful
• For both of us! Lisa has to worry about remote school stuff, staying sane in a closed camp, meeting all of the new people that I already for the most part know, doing a bunch of home making things that I'm sure initially seem enjoyable but probably turn into a chore, be 15000KM from the dogs, family, regularly scheduled activities, job, home, etc and on top of which put up with my shit, and I have a lot of shit!!
• But it's still pretty great.
• Weekends off and hour changes are nifty (but rare)
• Now that I'm residential I'm supposed to only work 40 hours and 5 days a week. The reality is there is much more to do than that and you're stuck trying to ensure your pace matches and/or exceeds that of your rotational colleagues. I certainly have a new appreciation for "those lazy residentials" that I thought had it great. Don't get me wrong, it is better (especially with Lisa around) but it's also not easy to get time not-work time. That said, so far I've managed to take three Saturdays off and they've made for some excellent breaks.
• 3.5 months is a long time but 6 months is longer
• So far I've been away from home since June and it's starting to wear on me that I've yet to have my previously regularly scheduled 2 weeks off out of every 8. My brain understands this but my subconscious still seems to operate on the assumption that at any moment I will be jet setting home. The home sickness is a wee bit stronger than it has been in the past and I am definitely consciously aware that there is a long slog until we get to see everyone at Christmas. Don't get me wrong - it's character building, it makes you better appreciate what you have (and are missing), and all-in-all I wouldn't change the choice we made but it being away does wear on you more than perhaps I gave credit.
• Seeing / doing / experiencing more
• Since Lisa has been here I think we've done more in country than I ever did (other than ride dirtbikes into the hills). Lemur parks, beaches, restaurants, impromptu baking sessions and upcoming exploring are all totally excellent things that we have and are planning on doing. It's been awesome and I am thankful for what's passed and excited for whats to come.
• Hard choices are good choices
• Being here requires that you be confronted by the results of your decision to be here daily. Every day I think about where we would be had we not made the decision to do what we've done over the last two years. I'm sure we would be happy but I'm not so sure we'd have grown as much as we have as a result of the experience. It's made me realize that those difficult choices that previously I was a bigger fan of approaching bullishly and oftentimes ignorantly were not things to be afraid of or shy away from but opportunities to seized. So yes, the decision was hard and the stress has been great but all in all it's pushed us to grow, change, and adapt to situations and surroundings that we would've avoided previously. Whether that avoidance motivator be fear, apathy, or otherwise, thinking through and making the call has forever changed us as people and a couple and it's awesome. There will be more hard choices in the future, as there always is, but we will be ready to approach them as opportunities to grow rather than things to shy away from.

My bullet points have unintentionally turned into "Matt's Chicken Soup for the Expat Soul" rather than "Matt's coherent thoughts on what's been going on the last two months" but hopefully you get the point. :)