Patience

Move to Thailand – Check

Buy a truck –

Have a baby –

Find a place to live –

Get to work –

So, one out of 5 isn’t bad, right?

We found a truck, at a great price, because it needed some work. But work here is cheap, and usually done decently, so it seemed a good trade off. Here though, they don’t start the work unless you pay them first. So they give you a work order, saying what they will do, ask you to pay, and then they get to work.

Well, we’ve been told the delay was because they were trying to find a part. Then they said they found the part, and charged us for it. Then they said it would be ready to test drive this past Saturday. But when Aaron arrived to do so, no one was there, and the engine was still laying in pieces all over the garage. A less than promising sign.

Have a baby. Well, that isn’t going so well either. I’m now 9 days past due, and no sign of anything changing anytime soon. I am so not in control of that one, without seeking invasive medical intervention, so I’m just going to have to wait to check that one off the list.

Find a place to live. We thought we had. But then the owners of the house came back after we agreed on a price and asked for more money. Aaron has no intention of any further dealings with someone who will say one thing and then change their mind, even if we could afford the higher price. So we’re back at square one again in that regard also.

Get to work. Aaron has some somewhat urgent business to attend to up on the mountain at the orphanage. He’s waiting for this baby to come so he can go and take care of things there without being at risk of being a several hour ride away when I go into labor. There are many things to do here, online, and with meetings and stuff, but it does feel substantially stalled, this forced confinement in Chaing Mai.

The lesson of Thailand so far seems to be patience. And then more patience. And then just a little more after that, for good measure.