Ups and Downs (month review)

I figured I would break this up into two posts because it would a lot of info otherwise. I wanted to use this post to talk about my emotional state while here and what not.
   Positives about my time here so far:
               People
                     Everyone here is really nice and friendly. I get along really well with my host family, so far. It's a small household so it is really quiet. I can pretty much go about my day without having to worry too much about offending them.  The locals here are also quite nice.  Everyone is curious to know who you are and where you come from.  I also love my training group. I get along really well with everyone and I know I have someone to talk to.
           Training
                    Training has kept me really busy which I like.  Some topics are dull like the medical topics but for the most part all of the sessions are interesting.  We have reached the point in the training where we apply our technical training. So for me that means practicing my teaching skills.  I really like that I am no longer at the training center just listening about how to teach, I get to apply that knowledge.  For the most part our training staff knows their stuff.
            The weather
                    I love the weather here. It is warm enough where I don't need a jacket but can get away with wearing long pants.  I am really comfortable wearing a short sleeved shirt.  It is sunny almost everyday.  It has rained maybe twice since I've been here. And what I mean by rain is drizzle for 5 minutes.  In the evening there is usually a light breeze to cool you down.
           Health
                  The food here is generally really fresh since there aren't that many preservatives used.  This means that it is generally healthier than what I'm used to.  I don't eat as much food here mainly because I don't have anytime to snack.  I live in town which means that I'm expected to walk to the training center everyday (except while model school).  I have been losing weight ( I think) because of how much I walk and all the unintentional exercise I've been getting.  We also play games like ultimate frisbee and what not on our off time so I'm getting exercise there as well.  I really want to lose weight so I'm trying hard to get in shape.
   
Negatives about my time here
      People
             Everyone is really curious about me.  This means I get questions such as where I'm from, if I'm single, do I have any kids and what not.  The locals here think that everyone knows celebrities like Beyonce and One Direction.  They also think that everyone is part of the Illuminati.  My host brother told me that Disney was conspiring because 666 could be found in the Disney logo.  He also told me that Washington D.C stands for Washington Devil's Child.  While I sigh inwardly and cringe at their stereotypes I use these moments to teach them a little more about my culture.  Everyone has a different image of what an American is and it is a little hard changing their minds.  My host family now feels entitled to my hard drive and my makeup.  I am now constantly asked to download a movie for them (at which point I explain that I took all the movies and stuff I have from other trainees, I don't download stuff myself), or how to watch something online.
   Flies
          There are flies EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't believe I need to say anything more
   Food
             There is a lot of starch involved in a meal here. Salads for dinner don't exist.  If I want a salad I buy one for lunch.  I get maybe a spoonful of some sort of vegetable.  I miss green veggies so much. I also really don't like the taste of game meat.
   Dust
           There is a beach in my shoes by the time I get home everyday.  My pants are always dusty, to the point that the water that I use to wash my clothes is dark brown.  My feet are perpetually black.
Communication
       It's hard to stay in contact with people back home


I'm going to take a moment to talk about one of the most important people in my life that claims I don't talk about him enough. I love my boyfriend TJ with all my heart.  It has been really hard being so far away from him.  Back home whenever I was having a bad day I could just open the door to the apartment and talk to him.  Now I have use Viber and hope he checks that app.  If I want to see his face I need to organize a time to face time.  This past weekend was especially rough for me ( the usual stuff...what am I doing here? I can't do this. I was crazy to come here...yada yada yada) and what made it worse was that I thought I wasn't going to be able to talk to him.  In the end the amazing man managed to get my message and talked me out of my sobbing fit.  While I am here because everyone supports me, he is my rock. I know that sounds really cliche but I wouldn't be able to do this knowing he didn't want me to be here.  He understands why I want to be here, and when I need to be reminded of that he tells me.  I believe that my situation highlights what I think every relationship should be like ( if maybe to the extreme). I do not believe that when in a relationship the person's world should only be the other person.  We each need to live our own life and be part of the others.  And that is exactly what is happening right now.  While I am in a relationship I am doing something that is very important to me that doesn't include my boyfriend.  We share a life while living our own.