The Wave

I'm riding the Culture Shock and Injury Annoyance waves today.

W Curve Culture Shock Diagram, Webster University

I was reminded during our new teacher orientation about the ups and downs that expats experience when they've moved to a new country.  Culture shock.  Whether you have only lived in the U.S. and have moved to a new town or you've lived in several different countries, culture shock eventually catches up to you.  To the right is a diagram that explains the different stages of culture shock.  This w shape is continuous, like a wave.

Why am I feeling this way?  I think it truly is the combination of things.

It's raining. Right now, the rain almost looks like snow.  It's coming sideways and the drops are fluttering down like snowflakes. I had plans to go to the market today for lots of shopping.  The rain, especially with my ankle, puts the kabosh on that.  Uneven sidewalks, slippery stones and wet floors are tricky.  Plus shopping outdoors in the rain just isn't that fun.

My ankle hurts, actually hurts, for the first time in a week.  Yesterday I walked up and down more stairs and didn't use the elevator as much.  I didn't elevate it during the day.  Got a little too cocky.  Reminder I need to slow down again.  Slow and steady were working just fine.

I was going to work on my Google docs class today.  I've been busy all week so haven't had the time to get things rolling.  Haiku's completing some updates.  Haiku is a "learning management system" like Blackboard or other online learning organizers.  For those of you in the U.S., you'd be sleeping while these updates were happening.  Those of us in India are wide awake and will have to wait till later to work.

There are several apartment buildings being constructed around me.  There's constant drilling and hammering and today for the first time it's bothering me.  It's like nails on a chalkboard for me today.

So, I'm going to try a few strategies that I know help with feeling this way.
My three positives:

1. My coffee maker is super fast and brews 4 cups in about 4 minutes.
2. My weekly apartment clean-up and organizing's done.  Everything's put away.
3. Strangers in Mumbai are very, very helpful especially when you're trying to find your way around in taxis and rickshaws.

Later, the rain might stop and I'll be able to go out.  Later I'll call friends to make some plans for tonight.  Later when North and South Americans are awake, I can catch up with friends there too.  Later, Haiku will be fully back up so I will be able to complete my work.  And there's tomorrow too so if something doesn't work out for today, that's just fine.  It's all a part of riding this new and big wave.