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Rodolfo and I made it to St. Paul MN, late Saturday night and we've never felt more spoiled and content!
Culture clash has definitely hit, but in the form of great appreciation for everything we have here!

It's the little things like having access to unlimited cold clean drinking water!  Folding my soft, lavender smelling clean clothes straight from the dryer!  Washing dishes in a great big sink!!!  Taking a shower with hot and clean water!  Sleeping in a great big soft and squishy bed with clean sheets and no fear of bugs flying around the room or creeping in the bed!

and the FOOD!!!!  I'm lucky to have parents that love us so much, they stocked the house with all the foods I love!   The first thing they did for us when we got here was make us a great big fresh spinach and fresh lettuce salad with tomatoes and olives and grill up a great big free range steak!!!

Asia has some of the worlds most incredible food, but when we grilled up some fresh farmers market asparagus with potatoes and yet more STEAK for lunch!  ....  HEAVEN!  Every mouthful of good Western food is savored and appreciated.  I've never felt so happy and thankful to be home!!!
 
The biggest change is in the feeling of safety here.  We don't have to worry about whether our stuff is safe, where our passports are, things like that!  We can eat the food, drink the water and sleep whenever we need to, knowing we don't have to take a bus the next day to our next destination!  The feeling of falling asleep in a place where I'm completely safe and secure in a room that's not boiling hot....it is absolutely wonderful!

I woke up on my parents couch this afternoon not knowing where I was!  When my brain started to focus on my family around me, it was as if my brain didn't believe it could be really true!  Is that really my brother sitting next to me?  It can't be!  How could that be???  I'm in Asia!  Am I in Asia?
"WHERE AM I?"

It's 1am here in St. Paul and I'm wide awake from jet lag, but I've never been so happy to be here!