13 Hours

It's 1 a.m. here and I think I just screwed up my body getting used to the time change, but it was well worth it. JG and I finally got to talk for more than 10 minutes. My first week here in Kyrgyzstan has been a disappointment to us both - neither one of us feels as if our relationship/communication needs are being met. And I can't tell you how much that hurts.

His issues: trying to establish a routine with the kids while feeling I'm not respecting his time constraints at home and during the duty day, feeling anger and sadness that my first phone call home didn't come until day four and feeling burdened when I ask him to take care of something back home in every instance of communication.

Both of us were miserable this week. My feelings were also hurt, I felt like I had been wronged. When we finally talked today I was of harsh words and harsh tones. Eventually we were able to have a decent conversation. Something the both of us needed.

It was a late night for me and I realized that I had been keeping up my roommate. I feel like the worst roommate in the world right now. Partly because I forgot her name (I did warn her this would happen), partly because when we talk I have the air conditioner right in my ear and she has a really soft voice and I feel embarrassed to ask her to speak up, partly because I've not made my bed the last few days and my stuff has been scattered on the floor, and partly because I should have thought to bring my laptop to work and have the conversation with JG in my empty office.

She's also a wife, she's also a mom and she's a fellow NCO. At one point she got up out of bed and just left during my conversation with JG. About an hour or so later, when JG and I were finished I had turned out the light and started this blog entry. She popped back in to grab her PT jacket and I said "I'm so sorry about that, I didn't mean to keep you up." With the air conditioner and her trying to be considerate by not turing back on the light (not able to lip read) I caught: "no no no ..... it's okay ..... sometimes my husband and I ......." and the only thing I could think to say was "thank you."