
A Week in the Life: Expectation vs. Reality
This article was submitted by a Goer as part of the 2024 Writing Contest. It won the Cultural Experience Category. To see the winners of other categories and all the entries click here.
"What does a normal week look like?"
This is a question I get asked regularly about my life in Southeast Asia. This is super difficult to answer because there is no such thing as "normal" - I have essentially been in a constant state of transition since landing on the field. Oftentimes, even when I plan for what should be a seemingly "typical" week, something unexpected will happen and all plans will be thrown to the wind! This is not bad in itself - I have learned and grown so much through this time, but it does make me pause and I am at a loss for words when someone asks me, "So what do you do each week?" I could never adequately put into words what it feels and looks like to live here - it is something you would really just have to experience for yourself! Moreover, what I expect to happen in the week is quite different from the reality of what actually happens. But I'll do my best to give you an intimate glimpse into my life with...
Monday
Expectation: quiet morning until the language helper arrives at 10 am
Reality: the doorbell rings 10 times before 10 am and continues as a revolving door throughout my language lesson resulting in multiple interruptions
Expectation: the plumber will come at noon to finish the work he started the day before
Reality: sit at home and wait for the plumber to come at noon; at 1:30 he calls to say he is stuck in traffic and had to drop off his wife; at 2:30 he says he had to eat lunch but will come after; at 3:30 he says it is raining but he will come after it stops; at 5:00 he says he will come at noon tomorrow
Tuesday
Expectation: the language helper will come in the morning
Reality: it rains hard all morning and the city is so flooded that we are confined to our homes and my language class is canceled
Expectation: attend weekly team business meeting
Reality: engage in productive business brainstorming; laugh and enjoy each other's company; discuss team needs and next steps
Expectation: have a video call with a friend
Reality: the internet completely stops working and my data runs out, so my friend and I have to reschedule our much anticipated call
Wednesday
Expectation: make a nice cup of Indian chai for my language helper
Reality: when my language helper takes a sip of the chai, her eyes bulge, and she runs to the sink to spit it out then looks at me and simply says, "NAMAK!" (salt in Hindi)... I got the salt and sugar containers mixed up! #fail (much laughter follows!)
Expectation: I will be able to go about my day and converse with everyone I encounter
Reality: unable to converse with anyone I encounter
Expectation: walk to the corner store to pick up a couple of necessary groceries
Reality: the corner store is unexpectedly closed; meanwhile, I had to wade through monsoon/sewage waters to reach the store and my sandal broke in the process
Thursday
Expectation: work through my prepared lesson plan with a language helper
Reality: barely complete a quarter of what I had prepared to work through that day; instead, my language helper shares with me about nightmares she has been having and allows me to pray for her. As I reflect, I realize I may not have learned all of the new vocabulary or grammar structures I had been hoping to learn that day; instead, I was able to understand, entirely in Hindi, as my language helper explained her nightmares, and she felt safe enough to share her fears with me and ask what I thought - that is truly invaluable.
Expectation: I won't be able to talk to or understand anyone as I go about my day
Reality: have unexpected and deeply meaningful conversations with locals entirely in Hindi
Expectation: attend weekly women's bible study
Reality: grow deeply in knowledge of the Lord and His Word as well as growing in community with women who are walking through the same gunk as I am (literally)
Friday
Expectation: our driver will take my roommate and me out to the grocery store - should take about half an hour
Reality: get stuck in school traffic; another road is closed and/or blocked; so, we blast some Bollywood music and have a dance party in the car and speak Henglish (half Hindi half English) with our driver; finally finish our shopping trip three hours later
Expectation: make a solid dent in assigned reading
Reality: as I start reading, my brain gets fuzzy and my eyes get heavy, and I make it through a couple of pages before I realize my language-exhausted brain cannot handle reading today
Expectation: since I've been exhausted all day, I will fall asleep quickly
Reality: for completely unknown reasons, I lay awake until the birds start singing and then fall into an exhausted sleep before my alarm goes off a couple of hours later
Saturday
Expectation: lead children's tuition where I will teach a combined English class & Bible lesson
Reality: learn about the capacity of children's creativity, joy, and resilience, despite living in poverty beyond anything I've ever experienced before
Expectation: invited by a national friend to attend some sort of social event - will attend and meet new people
Reality: walk into a room of nationals and immediately become the center of attention; greeted with "Wow, you're so tall!" and "Will you take a selfie with me?"; still enjoy meeting new people, though hoping to remain blissfully unaware of how widespread my picture is throughout the internet
Expectation: buy vegetables from the corner stand
Reality: greeted warmly by the stand owner, had a delightful conversation in broken Hindi as I picked my fresh vegetables, was introduced to new types of vegetables, and was given a crash course in how to cook new vegetables from the stand owner and sweet aunty who joined the conversation
Sunday
Expectation: lead English class and mentoring for a group of teens
Reality: amazed at the ability to connect and laugh with these teens despite the language barrie
Expectation: attend local fellowship for weekly service
Reality: completely overcome by the beauty of the unity between believers that transcends different cultural backgrounds and upbringings, languages, and ethnicities
**Alternative week**
Expectation: I plan for a week filled with language classes, cultural learning, and outreach opportunities
Reality: hit hard by a stomach bug/fever/head cold/ all of the above and am confined to my room for an entire week
The week is filled with many good gifts, as well as the struggles of daily life. This sample week would have looked completely different if I had written it last month, or the month before, or any other month that I've been in India. Things are constantly changing and moving. But there is One who is consistent.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17