I have learned something: my name, Audrey, sounds similar to the word "ao-da-li" here. I asked what it means today- powdered breast milk. Great. No wonder the people look confused when I tell them what my name is.

I had some sweet girls approach me on the street today to talk to me. They wanted to speak with a "foreigner". It was their school assignment for the week so I chit-chatted with them for a little bit. I feel like a movie star here- I am giggled at and whispered about; everyone wants me to write my name down for them so they can oooh and ahhh about the way I write my name. It's kind of fun actually. They just flock to Americans. I have a feeling that returning home will be depressing when I find out that my fame is contained on this continent only.

So today I ate lunch with some Asian friends who took me to their "fast food" restaurant in town. I'm not sure why they wanted to go here. I was reflecting on fast food in general and why we in America will eat fast food. Usually, the cheap price and quick service are what draws us to these places. I guess the food can draw you too, depending on your preference. But here, every place is cheap and quick. At any given restaurant, a meal is around $1-2 and you order as soon as you sit down and begin to get your dishes about 5 minutes after you order. So anyways, this place we went to was just like an Asian Mcdonald's. People everywhere, kids screaming and getting yelled at by their parents, long lines of people order their food and taking it to their tables on trays. There were no seats anywhere, so people just put their trays on other peoples tables and just stare at them while they finish eating. And there is nothing wrong with this scene to anyone. No one minds if they are stared at while eating. I just chuckled to myself as we hovered over this table of people eating their lunch. Oh and my friend ordered a lime and plum tea for me. It was beyond nasty. It was narsty. So was the rest of the food on my plate. After this experience, I'm certain that fast food should be eliminated from every culture.

There was a cock roach crawling on the dinner table last night. I was almost whisked away by a giant dump truck dragging a large tree behind it. I saw two dogs jump on motorcycles and zoom away like it was their normal routine. These are all too normal.

I want to comment on transportation and related safety. The double yellow line on the roads in this country must mean "have a nice day", because they certainly could not mean "do not cross in any situation" as they mean in America. In fact, most vehicles do not have speedometers, or have ones that have not worked in 10 yrs. Being in a car/bus/motorcyle (sorry parents, it's true), is like being in a video game. But the cool thing is you win every time (I know you're thinking "no you don't win every time! you're not invincible!!"). But the system simply works so much better here than in America. You see horrific, deadly accidents daily in America. Here, the traffic flow is crazier but somehow safer. I never worry about friends traveling, if they'll make it there safely or not. Not to mention how cheap the transportation is here! We can get anywhere in our town for less than a dollar, split four ways usually. And traveling an hour away costs us about $1.25 and you can travel with ease. You gotta love it. You gotta be flexible- you may sit by an odorous individual or sit on a velour bus seat- but it's worth it.

I've been realizing that perspective is everything. Having good perspective, wider perspective, or seeing someone else's perspective can open your life to a whole other way of living. If my perspective of a situation is negative, then I will have a negative experience. If I go into it with a positive perspective, it may still be a negative situation but my perspective can allow me to turn it into a positive one -one in which I am undefiled by the negative. I want this for my life. Living here is helping me, or forcing me rather, to have a wider and more healthy perspective on life. I'm seeing this whole other world that I never knew existed for 22 years. I have such a passion for seeing and experiencing other cultures because every time I encounter these "whole other worlds" it increases my perspective. I no longer live my life the same - I have seen that this life isn't about my life. If it was about my life, then my life would be the only one that mattered, the only one that existed and everything would revolve around my life. But it doesn't! People here, people everywhere are just going through these patterns of birth, work, death. Some get to have fun, some experience a lot of pain, some get to love, some never know love. My perspective needs stretching daily because I constantly revert back to thinking that this life is about my life, my agenda, my gain.

I can choose to live here with the continued perspective that my life is the only one that matters- and I base my activities and relationships around that. Or I can choose to live a life with bigger perspective- one that is eternal; that opens my eyes to see this life as the tiny dot it is on the line of eternity. With this perspective, my heart loves more, my selfishness dies, my time is invested in things that matter, and I can see that the people around me matter just as much as I do- and they are starving for the bread that satisfies and gives meaning to this life.

The weather has been beautiful today. Blue skies, about 75 degrees, low humidity and sunny! A day like this here is as rare as finding someone from Alabama who doesn't say "y'all" at least ten times a day. Speaking of the word "y'all", I've found that this word does not cross over into other languages. I've received many blank stares when "y'all" slips out in conversation with Asian friends. It is a staple in our language like rice is a staple in the food here. I also find myself using the word "maybe" more than I ever thought possible...I've wondered if the way I speak with my Asian friends will permanently mark my jargon. Maybe I think it will.

A random fact: owning a poodle is a status symbol here. I questioned if people actually owned any of the dogs roaming the streets all around this country and I have found that many do! And certain dogs are status symbols even- especially the poodle. Weird. I'm just not sure what makes the poodle a trophy dog. If you own a poodle here, people will charge you more money for anything you want to buy because they see you are "very rich".

Another random fact: everyone here rests in the afternoon after lunch- to the point where you cannot get a taxi and stores shut down so people can take a nap. This is so foreign to Americans. I'm not sure why every other culture in the world values resting during the day - or why they have never eliminated the resting. America makes resting seem like laziness. Thanks America- I have never been able to take a guilt-free nap in my life! And I can't do it here either!

I bought some Skippy peanut butter at the grocery store yesterday. It has rice in it. Almost like Rice Krispies. I cannot escape the rice. What am I supposed to do? Have you ever had an experience with a certain food that was so devastating that you could never go back to it? Well I think I might be headed in that direction quickly.

Down time here has a new meaning. A Sunday afternoon now has a completely different feel- which is great in some ways, but hard as well. I've always wanted Sunday to actually be a day of rest, the way it was intended to be. One without work, schedules, requirements, or time frames. And that is pretty much what I get here on a Sunday. But along with it comes loneliness and nostalgia. The idle times are the times that I think about family, friends, how much I miss college, and I imagine myself back at home on a Sunday and think of what my day would look like then. I think it's good for me to face these things here... I'm so used to running to the next thing or the next person in my day for a fix of comfort. I think that's a pretty lousy way to live...one reason being that I really just use people in my life to give me something I need, and the second being a busy schedule, people, or activities never fill the void that they seem to promise to fill - they do not satisfy.

I think everyone believes the grass is greener on the other side. I think life is better back home. People in high school think college is better. People in college think life after college is better. People who are single think being married is better. Some married people think being single is better (sad but true!). When its summer, you want winter. When it's raining, you want sunshine. When you're traveling, you want to be home and settled. When you're at home, you want to travel and be adventurous. When you're alone, you want to be around people. And when you're around people, being alone seems so appealing. Why can't I just we, and I mean I really, just be satisfied with what we've got, the cards that have been dealt today or this week or this month? We're always wanting: more or less, change or constancy, hot or cold. Whatever it is we're always wanting. Do you ever think your "wants" are misdirected? I want for things that are too weak- they are things I've decided I want, not things that I was created to need. I wish I could say more! But I'll leave it at that.

These are just a few of the scattered thoughts that have run through my mind today.

Last night after dinner with a big group of friends, we were walking out of the restaurant and standing on the large sidewalk, when all of a sudden, two girls with us were hit with someone's spit from above. So gross! But sadly so normal here. Spitting is probably one of the biggest cultural differences that I've had to get used to. People make the loudest sounds when they spit...ugh. But like I said it's becoming normal to me. The girls just wiped it off of their hair and their skirts and walked on. We proceeded to get milk teas after dinner. A milk tea is the equivalent of a bubble tea in America, which began to pop up in cafes about a year ago. I hated them in America, but I have been pleasantly surprised to find them delectable here! I usually go for the coffee or chocolate flavor. I'm still unsure of what they put in them, but I know it has the flavor, some kind of tea, and some kind of dark milk. Oh yeah and they put a huge scoop of tapioca gummies on the bottom of your drink. Milk teas are becoming my new Skinny Vanilla Latte from Starbucks, but I'm sure there is nothing skinny about them.

Most of the food here is high in oil or sugar. Deep fried, or sauteed in 4 in. of oil. Oh well. At least you know your chicken isn't four months old...they pretty much pick one out of the coop behind the restaurant and serve it to you right there. It's funny how I would probably never eat at a restaurant that was anywhere near as unclean as these places, but here it's like I can no longer see sanitation. I don't think you can consider clean food when you live here. You would starve if cleanliness was a high priority for you...and besides, the food here is off the charts delicious! What's a little duck feather going to do to ya anyways?

Today, I woke up and went for a run. I'm training for a half marathon in November...not sure yet if I'm going to make it. Running here is just a different ball game. It is 100 times hotter than the first Crimson Tide day game in Sept. And 100 times more humid. And the air quality is so poor I thought I almost had an asthma attack during a jog a few weeks ago. So while my friend and I were running today, I thought to myself, "I feel like I am in a Nike commercial right now" as I was dressed in typical running gear amidst the street folk going about their normal days, in normal dress. I weaved in and out of moving trucks, motorcycles, fruit baskets, uneven tile sidewalks, stray dogs, etc. Despite the hundreds of eyes that were on us, thinking we were insane for running in the morning (no one runs here in the morning, only night), we finished our jog without getting lost or injured. Every run is an adventure - I love it.

I have never done this before, blogging that is. But I think that my current situation demands a blog. There are too many interesting, hilarious, weird situations and experiences that I encounter living in Asia. It would be a crime not to share them with the people I love. So forgive me if this blog is ever confusing, offensive, vague, or uneducated. I will try to recap some experiences over the last month, but in order to live a normal life here, I tend to forget each day and move on to the next. So here I go...