Friday, September 14, 2007

Homesick

Seven and a half months into our relocation, I would have to say that I have been very lucky as far as being homesick goes. I communicate with my family through various computer-aided avenues (this being one of them) on a regular basis, the people I would miss the most are here with me, and finally, our situation here allows me to hide from "cultural experiences" on days when I feel like India is too much to deal with. So far, so good.

But being in India while Mr. Smith is in the US was never part of the deal.

On a normal day Mr. Smith wakes up, gets ready for work, wakes me up to tell me goodbye, then leaves. Twelve to fourteen hours later he comes home, eats his reheated dinner, begins one of several conference calls then falls asleep after sitting on the couch with me for twenty minutes. Honestly I didn't think I would miss him too terribly much if he went to the states for ten days. Silly, silly girl. I missed him so much. Then I started thinking about where he was and what he was doing and I started to miss Arizona and all of the people there.

News from home hasn't helped. It's back to school time. I love back to school time. I love buying new pencils, folders, notebooks and endless boxes of tissue. And crayons. I love crayons. But this school year was going to be special. I have been looking forward to this school year for a long time, 16 years to be exact. If I lived in the states I would have four child free hours everyday. The possibilities make me giddy with girlish glee. My four year old twins are old enough to qualify for the public school preschool offered in our neighborhood. Every morning at 7:30 am a bus would pick them up and not bring them back until 11:45 or so. However, since we are in India, I am instead homeschooling all seven children.

I was already feeling sorry for myself when I made the terrible mistake of surfing the Internet. This is not a skill I have naturally. Normally I get on the computer, check two or three things, then get off. But I needed something to distract me and I was hoping the Internet would have it. Instead I saw a pop-up add for the new fall line up. I love the new fall line up. I love season premieres of the shows I watched last season. I love seeing the pilot episodes of all the new shows and guessing which ones would be canceled (easy, the ones I like) and which ones would be huge hits. I love it all. And I'm missing it all.

Don't worry too much. Mr. Smith will be home in three days and I can live without TV. The school thing is a little harder to get over, but I will get over it, and now that I have whined and complained, I feel better. Thanks for the free therapy!

5 comments:

Rachel said...

This is why I love blogging. It is indeed free therapy. I hope that the time flies until your husband gets back.

shauna said...

He should be home any day now. I hope it goes quickly for you. And if you want someone to watch TV for you, I'll volunteer. Just tell me the shows, I'll watch them and report back. (I know, I know. But I'm all about sacrafice...) :)

Suburban Correspondent said...

We went away for a year (but within the US) and I had homesickness so badly at times, it was physically painful. No real cure, of course - I kept picturing walking back into my house, how the front hall looked and the stairs leading up to the bedrooms, and I'd be almost doubled over with pain. It must be doubly hard for you, in a strange country. Hang in there, the homesickness makes it even more fun to come home!

And you know, now I'm hankering to go away again, if only for a year or two. The adventures are fun, and it makes you appreciate home more.

Aunt Carol said...

Marilyn enjoyed (as I am sure Bill did too) visiting with Mr. Smith and is looking forward to all of you visiting.

Hunnydu72 said...

So, I spoke to all of Arizona on your behalf and Arizona misses you too. Arizona, where the fresh tv episodes, Filibertos (and his shady cousins Rodibertos and Alibertos), and Macayos all live happily, misses you very much. That's the word on the 'street', much missing of the Smiths. You're just teasing Arizona by sending one Smith home, when Arizona would prefer to be home to all the Smiths.

But, just think, you'll come back here and you'll be all put out there will be no chef who can't wrap his mind around pudding, and no maid, then you'll be upset you're in the crummy old States and long to be back in India. You'll have reverse home sickness.