A day of longing

Each place I live holds new adventures.  I may, in a moment of frustration, reconsider having moved there a mistake.  I occasionally have "I hate _(insert location here)_" days but I make the most of it.  I suck it up, remind myself that it was my choice to come and I can leave when I chose (more or less). I have to be reminded by people who don't live the kind of mobile, nomadic life I do that most people don't. I try to be thankful in the quiet moments in my day for that. Although in the loud moments I often wonder why I'm not somewhere else.

Home Sweet Home, courtesy of zachshaner.ca

Today I'm thinking of the places I've been before, mostly in relation to the people and things there. I see fantastic photos of them, they make plans on facebook that are posted to my wall. I feel envious they are going to Aranjuez or Lisbon or a bar downtown and I can't join them.  I can't really stay in the loop for gossip and chatter since so much has changed since I left, but it doesn't make me not want to.  There are birthday dinners and concerts and nights out drinking and holidays that are a million miles from me.  They happen in Seattle and in Spain.

Gran Via, the heart of Marid. Courtesy of targisol.csic.es

I've been here in Jakarta long enough to miss people here too.  I miss the some who have already gone home.  Others are on to their next adventure.  There are even some people still here that I miss.  Those might be the hardest because if they have decided to drop out of your life while you're in the same place, they won't be coming back; those I've given up on completely. There are people I see regularly but not regularly enough.  I can think of a few people whose company I'd like daily.

Jakarta doesn't have a downtown but this is where lots of stuff happens. Courtesy of theodora.com

 I miss jamón and vino tinto and tapas crawls.  I miss La Bamba Mexican restaurant and local microbrews.  I  miss Åsa and Christopher, Veronica, Mildred, Meghan, Daz, Ra, Laura, Alex, Allison, Angie and Trish, Craig and Sergio and everyone else that I can't think of off the top of my head.  I miss mom and Jen, Chris, Amber, Nora, Suzanne, Alex and Chris and you few others that I do actually still know in the States. Those in Jakarta shall remain nameless as I am not going to incriminate myself now.  And not least of all those few who are scattered like seeds in the wind, to Matt, Tristram, Eka, Amy and Anja and a few more.

Know that I love you and miss you.  That today my heart feels heavy knowing you are far away, an hour farther than a week ago (daylight savings). Know that I think of you often even if we don't write or speak as much as either of us might like.  The worlds not as big as we think, I'll see you soon.