It’s so normal, and it’s so good to write about it. Not only because it helps you process and makes you honest, but because in a year you’ll read back through this and be so encouraged by how non-stressful your normal life feels. How it mostly just comes 2nd nature to you and doesn’t leave you slumping into bed each night exhausted by the sheer fact of living.

Not that you asked, but here’s one little trick that helped me. Whenever I was having a particularly “culture stressy” day (and I’m with you – there wasn’t one thing about the culture that seemed stressful, it’s just BEING there), I would write a letter. To anyone. And in that letter I would force myself to write upbeat, positive things about the country and the people. Why I loved it so much. Some little thing I appreciated. And I would sit there and let the words soak into me between sentences. Faking it? Maybe. But it wasn’t faking for long. By the end of the letter I honestly felt more positive. And again, I didn’t start the letter feeling badly about the culture, the people, etc. But focusing positive, thankful thoughts on very specific cultural things made a lot of the nebulous, crushing, “out there” pressure of life diminish in intensity. I remembered that I wasn’t the one who thought up this idea of moving halfway around the world. I remembered that it would stand to reason that I would eventually fall in love with this place if I was supposed to be here. I fell in love in bits and pieces, and those letters that I used to get myself through culture shock became my love letters to my new home.

Whatever is good…think on these things. So proud of you guys.

I think it takes time. I totally have my days where the culture stress makes me want to scream and nothing is really wrong…its just different. But after two years I finally feel sort of comfortable here. I thought that day would never come.

Thank you for being honest. I love reading your blog. You are in our thoughts. Take care.

Second, I’m already on depression medication so you can’t bum me out cause chemically it’s now almost impossible. Just kidding, no really I am on medication, but I am just saying I love to hear you processing and being real. That is what attracts people and gives you the opportunity to speak and help others from experience. I was just in a B study and we were talking how HE is our hope, trust, peace, joy, all that. And you know that but for me it was a good reminder that when I am concerned about how I’ll make it and what I’m committing to, it doesn’t depend on circumstances or even the trustworthiness of people. It is a question of “Do we trust and place our hope in Him alone?” I have not always been doing that and it is freeing to remember He is always trustworthy and our hope really is secure. We can find comfort in these times of forms of stress remembering how temporary this all is and that in some way, He’ll bring glory to Himself in it. Have fun!