"Are you settling in okay?"

For the past 6 weeks in Bangkok, everyone has been asking me this question. I always say, "Mmmmm, am getting there." In my heart I was saying, goodness, what is taking me so long? Yet today, I can say that I am two steps from definitely saying YES.

Moving overseas to work on mangroves has always appealed to me. I have decided long ago that I would go wherever mangroves would call me, and I have been faithful to that decision since completing my thesis in 2001. Almost ten years of mangrove chasing later, I find myself in the bustling city of Bangkok. I never thought I'd find the experience terrifying.

Bangkok is very interesting, and there is no shortage of things to do. Yet since moving here, I have been consumed by an overwhelming desire to have a clean apartment. This is part of my "nesting" experience; and so I have spent all my weekends looking for the perfect floor cleaner or dust remover, or the best toilet scrubber offered in all of Bangkok.

Frankly it's turning out to be a mission.

But today, I am finally able to say that my cleaning equipment is almost complete. I only need a proper dustpan and I'm all set to work on my apartment. Bangkok, get set: once my apartment is totally clean, I am coming for you!

My settling in process is taking time, yet I think I am truly getting there. True enough, because over the weekend I have already explored the Thong Lor night life. And today, I have been to IDEA--the closest thing I have to Ikea and Briscoes. I thought I died and went to interior design heaven!

So it was a lovely day. I am happy, because now that I am feeling the urge to go elsewhere beyond raiding supermarkets for cleaning ware, I know that I am truly on my way to settling in my new city.

NB: I'm seeing Calypso tonight. So there.