I could also use a neck massage right now

Dear future hubster,

although we may need to discuss the ROE in detail, I think acknowledgement of virtues of partners past should be acceptable occasionally. We're grown up, afterall, and will have a supportive, accepting, trusting and honest relationship.

In that spirit, I feel that this chilly October evening is a good moment for me to tell you how sweet I found it when one time a previous candidate, whom I hadn't seen for quite a while, and whom I wasn't going to see for a very long time, assessed my condition as "you need a nap", and simply brought me a pillow and blanket. He knew we had limited time together and that the future was blurry at best, but he also knew that I had been up since 5 that morning and had been having problems sleeping lately (not unrelated to said future being blurry). 

Said candidate didn't land the job, for various reasons. But not for his lack of strategic understanding. 

Afternoon naps, dear future hubster, are important parts of a healthy relationship.

Who can say where the road goes?

Dear future hubster,

have I mentioned that time is of a weird nature? That it flies but sometimes crawls is no news; that days can be slow (not to mention meetings and lectures that feel like an eternity) but weeks and months made up of those slow days run by way too fast is a notion familiar to many. 

I must admit that I'm not entirely surprised by it, but it is certainly curious to experience how a couple of weeks can feel oddly long and logically short at the same time. Missing the Kivu sun and Tshukudu food is justified because it was just two heartbeats ago (and my repatriation ticket is still not paid, so maybe I never left?), but then what's going on with this familiarity of streets and trees and St John's disco signs? Knowing shortcuts to get to class the spooky way if it didn't rain the night before? Only getting lost in the building every other day? Feeling like that's all I've ever done? 

Then I'm gonna make it anywhere

Dear future hubster,

Have you ever wondered about what it means when Frankie says I did it my way "if I can make it there"? What does it mean to make it? What is _it_? And how do I know when I get there? 

Could any time I'm happy, and happily aware that I'm happy being where I am doing what I do, be considered as having made it?

When September ends

Dear future hubster,

in short: I've missed autumn. 

In more words: I haven't been in Europe during the autumn months for the last two years, and although I have been aware of my missing the seasons in general, and the feeling of being stuck in a time warp where the length of the days doesn't change, where the weather is practically the same all year long, I didn't realize just how much I missed the smell of an October morning. The colours of the late afternoon sky, baby blue, but with grey creeping in. The morning chill, which makes me wear earmuffs and brings colour to my cheeks (even though I still have some of my African tan). The wild chestnuts falling from the trees, and the slow, lazy, orange sunsets over the hills. 

Equally importantly, I have missed the wardrobe choices I can make now. My polka dot tights and knee socks are ready to rock this season. 

I dare you

Dear future hubster,

if you feel that everyday life is not enough of a challenge for you, picture yourself in this - somewhat fictional - scenario:

You're being thrown back to a first world country, although one that's different from all the others you've experienced before, and you're in a supermarket. Your goal is to purchase items that allow you to eat healthy, but to remain environmentally aware, and to be reasonable with your money.

Oh, and you only have two pots to cook with.  

An important question

Dear future hubster,
Do you think it's possible that one constantly gets hungry due to culture shock?
And if one doesn't, why do I?