After being in-country for three months, I bought a replacement lightbulb for the horribly blue lightbulb in my living room. I put off buying a lightbulb for insufficient reasons. "Ahh, I should save money, plus the lightbulb does work; it's just an atrocious color, and I would rather sit in the dark than have it on," I said to myself for weeks. However, this week after a breakdown about how hard life was here, I realized that there are many things within my power to make life bearable here.
For instance, it sometimes makes a huge difference to buy the lightbulb. Go to the store, brave the language barrier, get on a chair and change the lightbulb. Just that one simple act has opened up my previously dreary living room to a space I like to sit and enjoy inhabiting. If you aren't in your placement yet, you may be reading this and wondering why this feels like such a big deal...I would if I were you. However, if you know, you know, simple things can feel challenging when you're in your placement.
My encouragement this month is to go buy the lightbulb. Go buy that home appliance or that article of clothing or that thing that will make your life even just a bit easier. Even if it feels unnecessary, it takes effort to make our spaces livable and feel like home. The lesson I learned this month is to do it. You'll thank yourself later.