1. Internet: Fast enough that I can even watch a few YouTube videos if I want but most importantly fast enough that I can Skype with a few of my family and friends. I can also make a few phone calls to people like my grandparents and expect a good enough connection that we can actually understand each other!
2. Time with friends: A chance to relax and enjoy just chatting with friends is a wonderful blessing, especially if they are fluent in English. My favorite places for this is a guest house run by New Tribes Mission in our provincial capital of Pontianak (about 5 hours away by car) or in the town where I did language study and have some good friends, including Jennifer (previously served at Bethesda too) and her family.
3. Hot water and plenty of it, with an extra bonus if there is a bathtub. I do have hot water at my house but it doesn't last long and the water pressure leaves a lot to be desired. There is also nothing like a good soak to relax a girl, especially my feet which are always dirty because we wear sandals all the time and most of our roads are dirt.
4. Shopping: This one is a given but a place where you can get butter, cheese, pasta and things like tomato paste are very exciting when they require a trip of at least 5 hours. We are getting a new mall in the town about an hour away and it will be interesting to see what kind of stores they have and how well they stay stocked.
5. Eating out: There is nothing resembling a restaurant for at least an hour away from the hospital, unless you count the canteen where you can get a great plate of fried rice. It is especially nice when the brand names of the places you are eating are familiar like Pizza Hut, KFC (but no biscuits sold) and Dunkin Donuts, which are a 5-hour car trip away. The really funny one though is McDonalds. I am totally not a fan in America but here it requires a 10-hour road trip or a one-hour plane ride to find one and somehow it tastes a lot better here!
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