This week, I had my first episode of frustration living in a developing country. I’ve become so accustomed to things working a certain way that I had a mini meltdown when it didn’t a few days ago. My husband repeated words I’ve told him when he’s getting frustrated: “You have to get used to it; we’re not in Canada anymore.” 😶🌫️
It made me grateful for the opportunity to experience a different life. While it can be frustrating not to have things work as we’re used to, we made this move for a reason. The same things that sometimes frustrate us are the same things we appreciate about living here.
Time seems like it moves slower here. You can get up at 6 am and have a lot done by 10 – if you’re working independently. What would be a 20-minute trip to the bank back home may take the entire day.
A few months ago, we had to go to a government agency here, and we were being looked after by a young man, probably in his early 20s. My husband asked him if the pace that things are done here doesn’t frustrate him, and his answer put things in perspective: “I know it could be better, but I haven’t personally experienced it, so I don’t let it bother me.”
It made me think about the cow that lives on the property next door to us. She’s tied up, never getting to take a walk very far. I thought about other cows I’ve seen that walk the main roads and sometimes cause roadblocks. She probably doesn’t miss going for walks because her movements have been limited her whole life.
I’m grateful that I had the opportunities I did. Growing up, I was like that young man; I was frustrated that I couldn’t do certain things, but I accepted that was how things had to be until I could be on my own. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to travel and live in different countries because it always gives me an appreciation for what I had growing up. ❤️