Lately, I feel embarrassed to confess I’ve lost my appetite here recently. I want to prove to myself that I’m a “good cross cultural servant” who embraces local foods.
But lately, I can’t seem to find anything I really want to eat or feel good eating.
Lots of people recommend certain restaurants- (I know I should be so grateful there even are restaurants here!) but nothing on the menu catches my fancy.
Is it ok to say I miss the $3 菜饭 at the hawker center across the street and the Uncle who always gives me extra soup, the aunty who always knows my exact order with extra sweet & sour fish?
Is it okay to miss freshly made popiah and wasabi prawns? Is it okay to miss unagi and seaweed and yusheng?
Is it okay to tear up when my kids reminisce the last cup of Udders ice cream they had before we went to the airport? Is it okay to miss eating at 店小二?
Don’t tell anyone- they might think I’m a spoiled missionary!
But I’m so grateful today… that I got to use my second last packet of Bak Kut teh to make soup for my family who’s sick. I’m so thankful we had power on today to cook. I’m so happy to see my 8-yr old light up like it’s the best thing in the world. So grateful for food in a place where that’s not a guarantee for everyone.
And I teared knowing that our girls have embraced life here so beautifully. Where I see lack, they always see abundance. I’m so grateful.
We aren’t sure yet, if the offer for us to visit a developed country for a short break in the middle of the year still stands. The offer was a place to stay at there if we can find funds to make our way there by plane as a family.
Since it’ll unlikely be Singapore, I think I’ll still miss my $3 菜饭, my $2 ice kachangs and my $1 egg tarts. But for now, I will be thankful for family, for life, for the privilege of being here to experience a life I never imagined possible.
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