"Why do people move? What makes them uproot and leave everything they've ever known for a great unknown beyond the horizon? Why climb this Mount Everest of formalities that makes you feel like a beggar? Why enter this jungle of foreignness where everything is new, strange and difficult?

The answer is the same the world over: people move in the hope of a better life."

-Yann Martel, The Life of Pi

Reflecting on my time here so far, I am very glad I came to this side of the world. The first few weeks were a bit rough, and there were many things that I felt were very hard to deal with. But the more time I spend here, the more I feel like I'm part of the culture, and the more I start to feel like I actually understand who I am. It feels a bit sappy and cliché to say it, since it's written in just about every "encountering culture shock" book, and said by almost everyone who's been abroad, but it's true. You never really know who you are until you throw yourself into an entirely new situation and give yourself time to acclimate to it. I mean REALLY acclimate to it. Not to the point where you can get by, but to the point that you feel comfortable with who you are and where you are. Every day is a new chance for exciting experiences, and I don't find myself just wishing the days would get by and it would be the weekend already. I am finding myself appreciating every day so much more than I ever did at home. Instead of just going through the motions like a human zombie from Shaun of the Dead (let's see who gets that reference), I actually am actively enjoying almost every day. It's a very refreshing feeling.