Just Like Home

I appreciated the zest for travel exhibited by recently deceseased Anthony Bourdain.  When I am traveling to a foreign country, I do try to eat the local food.

But it is different scenario when one is living in the same foreign country for more than a year.  So perhaps I can be forgiven for the joy of discovering that a new restaurant in our neighborhood serves salads.

Excellent salads.  Mine was pears and feta cheese with balsamic dressing, Sanford's was chicken with a carrot dressing.  Both were excellent.  A bit pricey by Indonesian standards, but a wonderful treat.

And we didn't get sick afterward, which is always a worry in foreign countries. I just hope that the restaurant stays open for the next 16 months.

Another touch of home was when we visited a member of our congregation who asked about Elder Porter's profession before the mission.  When we told him about being an ant expert, he jumped to his feet and invited us out into the yard to see his pest ants.

This happened all the time at home, so it was such a sweet reminder of how sometimes people can be the same all over the world.

Of course, this is Sumatera, so we had taken our shoes off to enter the home, then put them back on when we went outside to look at the ants.

We regularly drive past this business with a catchy name, which of course reminds me of the Disney movie and the Peter Gabriel song.

This company sells wallpaper and decorating accessories.  Attitudes regarding copyright infringement are a lot looser outside of the U.S.  (We spend a LOT of time driving around town, and so any amusement along the way is much appreciated.)



Another touch of home came on Saturday, when our branch president walked in wearing a Detroit RedWings hoodie.

Personally, I am not into hockey, although two of our daughters have become hockey fans the last few years (Go Florida Panthers!).  But the RedWings were definitely part of my background growing up, so it plucked at my heartstrings to see this shirt in such a foreign setting!

On Saturday, Elder Porter had a meeting in the early afternoon, and I had a lot of lesson prep that was better done at home.  Senior couples do not have to stay together all the time if there is a reason to work or travel separately.  We knew this, but it was the first time that I had gone out alone without backup. I managed to ask the security guard if a package ha arrived, and also book a car for travel to church.  I even made some small talk with the driver and gave him directions of where to turn. So maybe this is becoming like home