Practically Perfect

A friend just got back to Caracas from Hawaii.  She's been living here for a year and a half, and she's not very happy to return home.  Hawaii is lovely, and the reality of Caracas hit her rather harshly.  She tried not to complain, but just couldn't help it.

I felt bad for her.

Mainly because I am really not miserable.

The weather today was almost hot.  A strong sun sat in a bright blue sky, with only a light cool breeze rather than the usual lovely cool breeze.  I almost got sweaty on my walk home from the embassy in the heat of the day.  We keep our windows open all the time, generally feeling cool air movement through the entire house.

Our apartment is easily twice the size of our house is Arlington.  It has fabulous air flow (as mentioned above) and beautiful natural light in nearly every room.  I love the layout, and I only have two complaints.  Although we have great windows, we do not have our own terrace.  And although we have a great garden and a fabulous view, our 6th floor apartment means our kids don't play outside very often.  For that, I miss our house in Virginia.  Well, and for the gas stove.  For everything else, this house is pretty great.

We have hired a part-time housekeeper, and I will cautiously say that she's pretty awesome.  I don't clean the bathrooms, but still they're clean.  I don't clean the floors, but still they're clean.  I bake, and the dishes are all washed and put away as soon as I'm done.  Its awesome.

I don't have to worry about money.  We are blessed to be able to live off of one income, but that blessing included a lot of scrimping and sacrificing in Arlington.  Within the same grocery budget, I can anything and everything I want at the grocery store and still not be in the red.  That is, of course, because much of what I want is not in stock.  But its also because of a very favorable exchange rate.  And because our disposable income more than doubled when we left the states, I don't have to worry about money on anything.  I can afford to enroll my kids in after-school programs.  We can afford to eat out on the weekends.  The favorable exchange rate means that I can afford these things while I rebuild our savings.  Score!

All I really need to be happy are a few good kitchen tools (arrived last week - hooray!), stability for my kids (fabulous school - hooray!) and people to talk to on a regular basis.  The embassy community here has been warm and welcoming from the day we arrived.  I made good friends in Virginia, who I miss.  But I've made good friends quickly here in Caracas, and I feel comfortable calling someone up whenever I feel lost or alone.

So far, with the exception of Target and the English language, Caracas offers an easier life than Arlington did.  And a far easier life than China.  Surrounded by bright blue skies and warm people, I'm happy.

This is worth noting, partly because things can change quickly.  The community will turn over this summer, as will the weather.  Vamos a ver, but so far I've got no real complaints.