This week marks 10 weeks until I leave Suriname. I don’t know where the time has gone. I thought it would be a good opportunity to make a top 10 list. So here are the top 10 things I like about Suriname and the top 10 things I miss from home.
Top 10 Things about Suriname
1) The people I’ve met. I have made some wonderful friends who I will miss dearly.
2) How friendly everyone is. Everyday as I walk to work people say hello to me. Makes you feel at home.
3) How all the ethnic groups here manage to maintain their own culture.
4) The chinese shops that sell a little bit of everything - one stop shopping has a whole new meaning in Suriname!
5) All the different languages…Dutch, Javanese, Hindustani, Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and of course, Taki Taki.
6) The warm breezes. I don’t love being sweaty, but the warm breezes wrap around you like a hug here.
7) All the different flowers and trees and birds – many I’ve never seen in my life before. I definitely will not miss the ants and cockroaches!
8) The public buses. They are as much fun as they are frustrating!
9) The children. They seem to need so little to make them happy. You see them playing in yards with nothing more than a skipping rope for an entire afternoon. When’s the last time you saw that in North America?
10) Laying in my hammock on a Sunday afternoon reading a book.
Top 10 things I miss from home
1) My family and friends…hands down the #1 thing I miss.
2) Friday nights at Dawn & Dan’s; trash TV night with Lisa and Jen; Sunday brunch with Catherine, Marcy & JP followed by a matinee; hanging with Pam, Lorri & RodO.
3) I miss going to the movies. There is no movie theatre here. I’m dying to hit the cinema.
4) My bed and the general peacefulness of my neighbourhood. It’s loud here. The dogs bark ALL the time and it’s prompted me to ponder doggy murder…I wish I were kidding about that I really do.
5) Bacon….cooked by my dad on Sunday mornings. Seriously. I’ve heard it can be found here (obviously not cooked by my dad) but so far it has eluded me.
6) Good coffee. They live by instant here…it’s just wrong.
7) Veggies. There are tons of local greens here and I’ve grown to like them but I miss romaine lettuce, baby carrots, fresh mushrooms, cauliflower, yellow beans, snow peas….I could go on and on.
8) Condiments. I miss all the marinades and sauces and having 100 salad dressings to choose from. Luckily I’m learning how to make my own using local ingredients.
9) Being cold. I actually miss pulling on a nice warm sweater on a cool day. NOTE: I’m not talking about -33.
10) Going to the bookstore and loading up on books and magazines. Though a woman recently opened an English only bookstore – it’s a cute little shop in her home with just one wall of books, but the selection was surprisingly good.
That's all for now. Stay tuned, next week I've got some long-overdue installments of Suriname Quirks for you.
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4 comments:
eh?! what about hour long bitch sessions with your sister in law?? come on....you know you miss it! i'm feeling somewhat unloved over here *smirk*
can't wait to have you home.
Hey Trish, I was at your cousin Theresa S for supper in Steinbach the other nite and I asked how you were doing...she forwarded me your webpage and I have enjoyed reading your adventures...sounds like you are having the time of your life!!!! Keep having fun and learning and spreading your cheer woman. Shirleen H
Michelle - that goes without saying of course! And as I see it, we can and do still have those bitch-sessions while I'm in Suriname!
Thanks Sherleen. I'm really enjoying Suriname (NOW!). I'm glad that shows in my blog. I'm going to be sad to leave...who knew!
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