9 Months and counting...

Well longer, technically, but let's not get into that...Funny thing though, when I first arrived in Timor conversations with new acquaintances usually began like I would imagine new prison inmates would greet each other:
Acquaintance: "How long [are] you here for and what do you do?"
Reply: "I am here for a year or two, depending on how well things go. When do you get out next?"
Acquaintance: "I'll get out for a weekend in 12 days. It's been almost 3 months now; a long time here in Dili"

I used to think these people were wussies with a capital "P" and was determined to outrun, outlast & outwit or whatever the motto of that "the tribe has spoken" TV show is.
First time round I lasted 6 months without a break and let me tell you, after that I finally understood what they had meant.
Stress is a funny thing here in Timor for the average Malai (foreigner). Whereas one would think (and it is probably partially true) that in 2006 and 2007 stress levels where naturally higher on account of the unrest, fighting and associated threat levels, the amount of stress, albeit less obvious and almost subliminally encountered these days can not be discounted.
You don't so much notice it yourself but in the people around you...colleagues, friends other expats...somethign changes over time, they become somewhat irritable and short-fused, more attuned to the shortfalls of this new nation and the cultural differences and, at times, its paradoxical quirks.
Most will agree it comes in cycles here, but the worst period - I find - is about 3 weeks out from a forthcoming trip out of country; the breaking point which lasts until about one week out from departure....after a while you can almost tell who is about to leave simply by the topics of their conversations: fresh and safe food to be eaten while abroad usually features highly as do all the other "perks" of so called civilized life we tend to miss here such as customer service, variety of goods and entertainment options.

By now the reader will ask: So if there isn't any unrest or fighting, where does the stress come from then?

Unfortunately I am 3 weeks out from a trip myself, so the picture I would paint right now would reflect a state of mind not too dissimilar from the one described above.
I shall shutdown this machine before the internet once again goes down and will retreat to one of the well-known watering holes for some more inspiration.
Perhaps I will come back with a more balanced view than the one currently screaming to ooze out into this blog...

First blog entry complete! Hooray!
A reason to celebrate...