Where are we?

Can I just say that I love it here?  I have made some great friendships with fabulous, Godly women (and a few fabulous, Godly men, too!), and have had some really wonderful class sessions.  But, for the international traveler in me, the best part is just how international these 50 acres in Virginia really are.  Twice now, we've had "special" meals... code around ILC for "international food you have to eat with your hands.  Our first meal was Middle Eastern- great meatballs with flatbread, olives, hummus, and cucumber-onion relish.  Number 2 was Indonesian- a ground turkey curry with rice and lots of toppings, including a mildly spicy chutney that was awesome.  Honestly, the special meals are really better than the regular ones!  Side note: when you eat with your hands, you're only allowed to use the right hand... In countries without "facilities," your left hand is your toilet paper.  Pretty gross, huh?

Today I went to check mail and got a surprise.  Our lovely mail team decided we're in another country.  There was a sign on the mail room door saying that mail would only be available from 4:30 to 5:30.  It was almost 4:30, so I decided to stand in line. (Yes, there was a line by this point.)  At 4:30, one of the guys came out and said that he needed one person from each household, but only one person could come in at a time, and that we needed a photo ID to check our mail.  The guy in front of me went on in, and I'm waiting, but I started thinking... I don't have my ID with me.  I don't usually carry my ID to walk around campus.  Crud.  About this time, another guy comes out.  "I can get you in," he says, rubbing his fingers together, basically asking for a bribe... which I gladly would have paid, IF I had cash on me.  But I didn't.  Double crud.  Customer #1 comes out, and the first guy comes to the door to bring me in.  I am wearing my nametag, which lately has been a rarity, and I ask him if that will work, but he says no.  (About 4 people behind me get out of line at this point to go get their IDs, which they also left in their rooms... good to know I'm not the only one!)  So I got out of line without my mail... still haven't gotten it, and I'm debating whether or not I'm going to get it today, since that means going to the opposite end of campus to get my ID, then hiking all the way back up here.  I really don't need my mail all that badly!

But I really do love it... sarcasm aside.  I know, when it's real life and not just an "exercise," the novelty will wear off... but it just goes back to the whole American convenience issue.  We are, by far, the most convenient society on the planet.  And I'm not really sure that's a good thing.