It's the familiar that's most unnerving

It's all about the context. There is so much here that is familiar to us--the McDonalds, Krispy Kreme Donuts, the Chili's and KFCs--but it's because we don't expect to see it that it's so jarring. Coming off the plane, the first thing we saw at the airport was a Starbuck's coffee shop. At the time I thought it was a little ironic, but now, after ten days here, I'm finding that the biggest adjustments I'm having to make are regarding the things we didn't leave behind. It's not that it's not a little comforting to be able to have a Whopper every now and again. It is nice to have that option, but it's that Whopper, more than anything else, that reminds me of how far from home I am.

One view from our apartment around 11:30 PM.