Happiness

I know that I do not post much over here any more, what with that whole blog devoted to life in Iraq, but I still need this space. This blog is only available to a small select group of friends. The ones who are supportive and pick me up when I fall over. Thankfully, I am not falling over right now, but I am struggling. I've definitely gained some weight since I came here. Considering I don't have much to do in my evenings one would think I would find time to work out, but between the conferences, events and getting sick, oh and not wanting to, I just haven't. I've also definitely been stuffing my emotions and often not eating healthy food. There has been work stress, and some of it is just being lonely stress. I feel like I have lost track of my coping mechanisms.

I am trying to change my routine. We get off work at 4PM here, which then I would go home and start thinking about dinner. I am trying to go home, do some work related reading (I have a lot to learn), work out and then dinner. Usually while watching TV in the evenings I am working because by then the Chicago office is responding to emails. I need to break that habit because there are a lot of things that I want to do. I want to learn Arabic. I want to work out in the evening. I want to cook healthy. I am trying to make time for that to happen. It is also hard because the evenings are the only time I have to try to catch up with people. The nine hour time difference makes things difficult.

Last night I was going to force myself to do Pilates, but I don't like any of the dvds I brought and so I was looking online for something else to do. Then for the heck of it I decided to google Shakira and Zumba (there were a couple of songs that we did in my Zumba class that I liked) and I stumbled on a you tube treasure trove. There were quite a few classes that had recorded their Zumba dances and put them on you tube. For an hour I danced along and worked up a sweat without even realizing it. I forgot how much Zumba made me happy. There was a reason I was doing it twice a week when I was in Chicago.

Today after work I am going to ask a staff member to take me to the vegetable stand so I can get some fresh produce and I am going to make a healthy dinner. Then I am going to go home and do some reading and do my Zumba. If you ever feel like calling my phone number is through my computer, so call anytime and if I'm online I'll pick up. You don't have to worry about it ringing and waking me up. Even if you are just walking to pick up lunch give me a call. It has been hard to keep in touch with people because the time I can call is when you are at work.

I'll be home soon and that will help, but I need to figure out a better way of doing things. I've lost my joie de vivre and I am only part way through this adventure. Oh, just don't call me at 8PM my time, 11AM your time because the electricity goes out.