Past and Future Plans

A LOT has gone on here in the states (just in my life) in the last 5 months. Hubby and I have had a lot of discussions and long talks. This is one of the good things about long distance relationships, you're forced to talk more than normal. See, when you live with someone they already know your moods, what happens in your day, etc. without you telling them. They are there and see it but when you're living separately you have to tell each other these things.

I've been extremely busy the whole time I have been home. I'm not quite sure how I juggled all of it and still made it through but somehow I did. Let me give you the short recap of it all.

• I took 6 mini vacations and racked up a ton of frequent flyer miles. One of those trips, I drove over half way across the country! 
• I visited about 90% of my family members. I can only think of 4 that I missed. 
• I lost a beloved grandmother.
• I ate at 50 different restaurants (or more, I stopped counting lol)....still I've missed a few but I'm sooooo over wanting to taste all the foods I missed now so it's not a big deal.
• I took up walking to rebuild my muscle tone.
• And several more extreme things I had rather not mention specifically on this blog.

Some things that happened that affect me (or Americans more specifically)

• Shooting at the Sikh Gurudwara (this led to a heightened hatred toward America temporarily)
• Anti-Islamic video protests 
• Al-Queda urging kidnapping of Westerners

This is only the short list. There have been several incidents in the recent months that would indicate now is not the safest time for an American to live in a violence-prone area nor travel to one. My Indian in-laws primary concern is my safety. After discussing with them the events of this summer we have all made the decision for me not to return to India.

A few other things concerned me about moving back to India as well. I didn't do too well last winter and I didn't expect things to get better this winter. My in-laws were very concerned for my health trying to make it through another hard winter. They have had health issues themselves this year and actually feared the sickness I would encounter. They also understand my concerns with traveling amidst so much anti-US tension. So it is with their blessing that I'm staying in the states.

This was a hard decision to make but it was necessary. I have known this for a while but I kept from confirming any rumors until I had stabilized myself here. I've found a fabulous home (ugly on the outside but so cute inside), landed my dream job and have purchased my own car very soon. (Car shopping sucks since the last time I bought one lol.) I'll be writing about the repatriation process over the next few days.