top 10 signs you're a Ken-Tex mom
A lot of things about raising my kids in Kenya are very different from Texas. Some things are almost the same, but the reasons behind them are different. Here are my top 10 signs you're a Ken-Tex mom (living in Kenya):
I'm linking up at The Grove.
- You haven't taken a shower all week. It's not because the kids haven't given you a moment's peace, they always need something from you, or you can't trust them to leave the room long enough for a shower. It's because there's no water (again).
- You don't do meal planning or make grocery lists. It's not because you like to wing it or let the creative juices flow once you're in the supermarket or you just forgot. It's because you really can't predict what will be available today. The list would be something like:
- You pay $10-12/month for your cell phone service, using all the GB of data you want. You can't handle the prices of cell phone plans in the US.
- Your tailor made dresses cost less than the ones you bought off the rack. At Good Will.
- You get excited at the sight of ziploc baggies. They may not be the best way to store things, but they sure are convenient, if you can find them.
- Your kids can use a squatting potty, a sitting toilet, a pit latrine, or the ground itself, but can't cope with automatic flush toilets.
- On a related note, your kids don't understand why you have to find a gas station to use the restroom on roadtrips in Texas when there are tons of great places to pull over. What difference does it make if you're on Mombasa-Malindi Road or "the interstate" (whatever that is)?
- You rate local ice creams on a scale of how much like Blue Bell they are.
- You don't really miss winter (because there's not much winter in Texas anyway), but you do seriously miss having a/c everywhere. The hot months in Texas are 10 degrees hotter than the hot months in coastal Kenya, but at least there is a/c!
- You don't leave the house without a travel roll of toilet paper. (P.S. If you're coming this way, you could bring me a refill.)
I'm linking up at The Grove.
Love it! We live in Russia - and I can totally relate to number 8 - cell phone plans in US make our hair stand on end. We don't miss winter because we have serious winter here, but ARE missing AC right now! Rarely are without water - but sometimes without hot water. And when we are, the water is REALLY REALLY COLD. I take toilet paper almost everywhere I go. :-) It embarrasses my kids. I USED to get excited about ziplock bags, but we recently got an IKEA not too far and they carry them. I never go there, but it took the excitement out of ziplock bags.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your 10 signs!