Awaiting to go home

A large white fogs rolls over the land
Searching for dengue fever mosquitoes in the sand
I look down from my pool chair in great alarm
For there's a blood sucking mosquito carrying off my arm

Fogging here is weekly for the houses bordering the apartments. They only fog here once a month. Given the wind, there's no need to do more-just steal the neighbor's fog! It's free. People walk through the clouds as if they don't exist. It comes into the aprartment through the air conditioner and you can smell it in the hall. We have noticed we get bitten more after fogging than before fogging. They just irritate the bugs.

The world cup is still going on and we are having to acknowlege it whether we like it or not. A group of middle eastern men have moved in across from my door and across from Tammy. They sleep all day and party all night. At 2 am in the morning they are running up and down the hall cheering. They can't understand why we don't share their enthusiam. I reported them to the desk. They have another group up on the tenth floor I hear from the maids. They order all their food from the hotel (Muslim). I hear them singing their prayers at the top of their lungs through my door. There's another game tonight and I am dreading the joy of soccer. They must be sons of princes or something to just take three weeks and watch soccer. Behind their backs I refer to them as "Jihad" because I am mean that way.

Steve and I went down to the Cambodia embassy. The web site and the door said they opened at nine. What was I thinking? They don't read English! Anyway the door was dark. A Cambodian got off the elevator finally and let us in the dark office where we waitied another twenty minutes for no one to show up. I finally left in a huff. Steve was forced to return later to submit an application. I already had this experience when I went to pick up my visa. I arrived at 2:15 and the door said they were out to lunch and would return at 2. I waited and then caught another Cambodian in the hall. He told me to wait. I waited, getting madder all the time and when that same Cambodian saw me still waiting here, he did some yelling. A man came and opened the door. I could see their feet the whole time-sleeping in office chairs! Something tells me it's easy to get into Cambodia and that their web site was just front for their real business in Singapore-sleeping and eating dumplings.

I got new shoes and glasses on the same day. I am stumbling blind, trying to get use to both. My shoes are orthopedic because it hurts to walk here. I don't have a car so I have to hoof it alot. I have signed up for a pottery and quilt class to fill my days here. There's only so much tanning a person can do.

While Tammy and I were slumming at the pool, I noticed a large amount of Muslims came out with little kids. The women were dressed from head to toe in material. We felt really sorry for them as it probably a 100 degrees out there. The men sat in the shade. I know the women were wearing bikinis under all that stuff! They just didn't want me to feel bad -all exposed and all.
I understand that the two drivers who sit in the lobby day and night are theirs-waiting on their beck and call at a minute's notice. They also must be related to that Arab prince.

We have heard we will be here for another year. I will have to pace myself. It's a small island and I'm bored all ready. I know you're saying there's always the pool and the sun and the mosquitoes. What's there not to love? Nothing. Sometimes I yearn for Byers Ice Cream or my mother's pork roast. I will have to find solace in island food.

We did make our way to Dempsey Hill where there is a rash of Spanish/Mexican Restuarants. Why, you ask, does Asia need Mexican cuisine? They have everything else so they just had to add Hispanic flare. There's only so much white rice, durians, and pork belly a person can eat. A burrito hits the spot.

Donna