Photos: author
Perhaps we understand why we left in the first place, but what makes us stay?
When we first go abroad, it’s often for the sheer plunge; the fear and thrill of falling. But when we stay, I think it’s for the little things.
Walks (even better with dogs).
Getting to know the neighborhood.
There are so many others. For me:
Popsicles. Real popsicles with real coconut.
Light. The way the light changes from late afternoon to evening. I’ve never found a light like that anywhere but Oaxaca.
Graffiti. Bizarre, fantastic, local. Pedro Infante with an enormous sombrero. Dancing grinning orange skeletons.
The memela lady. The way the tortillas puff up on the comal.
The young dudes singing unabashedly to their iPods, walking down the street with a full-on groove going on.
The 5 o’clock coffee.
And you? Keep adding your own, below.
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18 Comments... join the discussion!
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The misty mornings on the Appalachian Trail.
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Almost any place in Mexico:
The tiendita on the corner with so many interesting things to look at.
The balloon man in the plazita with little kids pointing at the exact globo they want.
The procession with the local virgencita going from one church to another.
Marveling at the faith of someone “walking” on their knees in to the church to thank Dios for the milagro.
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Tiny cups of espresso, but long hours to drink them.
Walking to work, walking to the market, walking to the park, never missing the car.
Santa Claus in havaianas.
(Love this piece, Sarah!)
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Pedro Infante the baseball player?
Cool!
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Seeing things from the other side of the looking glass.
Yes, popsicles! But in Asia it’s durian, taro and custard apple, or better yet, straight up iced pineapple spears on a stick at the beach.
Noooooooodles!
Pi dogs.
A renewed view on the value of life after a dodgy bus ride.
Motorcycling to work in Saigon.
Cycling to work in a small Japanese village.
Living in the pages of National Geographic that I used to dream about living in!
Thumbs up, Sarah!
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the warm chestnuts along the squares
the cheese and spinach stuffed breads
haggling for flowers, or tomatoes in the market (mostly in sign)
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The bright, bright color of the Ginko leaves in November.
The technician that switches the settings of the drink vending machine across the street from cool to hot.
Over-the-top customer service
The option to have a Hello Kitty or Pikachu credit card.
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Orion Beer (no preservatives).
Oh, waliking dogs, too.
And oh, yeah, almost forgot the coffee and the wife.Early morning light. Thought provoking post, Sarah, thanks!
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The new surprises down the small streets and alleyways.
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healthcare that works at ground level.
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i guess that’s a big thing.
but it feels small and good when you walk into the farmacia and the senora is there smiling at you and asking how the baby is.
instead of a CVS ‘did-you-find-everything-ok?’ shopping ‘experience’
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Wandering through grocery store aisles, trying to figure out what everything is.
Wondering if I could teach German dogs a little bit of English, and if I could get paid for this.
Grilled bananas with chocolate inside.
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@ Tom – I forgot about supermarkets! I think I spent at least a third of my total time in Japan in supermarkets.
How about grilled bananas dipped in chocolate and covered in sprinkles?
Or fried bananas with cream cheese?
The possibilities for bananas alone are endless.
Great insights everyone! Keep ‘em coming.
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Looking out my office window and watching ships coming through The Narrows.
My 100 year old townhouse with the fireplace in my bedroom.
50+ night clubs, bars and pubs within a five minute walk from my house.
One of the greatest support networks in the world, my friends.
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Beans, the delicious mushy kind that come with every meal, accompanied by fresh tortillas.
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watching the light change as fast as the weather.
people who mean it when they ask, “how are you?”
the way the “honor system” is implemented in everyday life – you could ride the metro for free if you wanted to, but nobody does.
fall colors and leaves on the ground!!!
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The scents, tastes, and sights of Asian night markets.
Food. Every week is a new adventure in culinary delights.
Tea houses and tea stations. I can’t imagine life without either.
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