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we’ve been here a year and a half. which means we have a year and a half to go. half-way(?!), where did that go? and after bragging that we had put up 100 posts in the first six months we were here, we’ve pretty much fallen off a cliff since then. i’ll try to start making up for that.  hey at least i’ve been posting pictures.

mathematically-minded readers will note that we are going to be here a total of three years. paige isn’t on contract, and we don’t have any commitments back home that we need to return to (family members are grumbling at that one), so why three years? mostly it’s that three years of international management experience looks good for the kind of position or phd program that paige would want when we get home.

we were talking the other day about the fact that we were more or less half way through our time here, mostly in the sense that it seems like a long time until we come home. missing friends and events with familiar people and communities. i think we’ve written before about the fact that we’re in a bit of a social middle-ground here. older and more stable than the 20somethings who are here for a few months of self-discovery, interning and partying with other internationals. younger than the 35somethings who are career expats and have families and mingle with the other parents of children who attend the international school. so we miss our friends from home who match all the things we do.

from the missing friends and home standpoint, i’ve had an easier time of it because, well, i don’t work and i get to spend my wife’s money and frequent flier miles. so i’ve gotten to play ultimate and follow the xc ski racing scene a bit. i’ll be in canada in two weeks shooting a week of world cup races. but paige has only had a couple days at the beginning or end of business-related trips home to catch up with family and friends.

which isn’t to say that life isn’t smooth sailing. once we come home, i’m sure it will be a while before we have it this good. it’s just that half-way points, sorta like new years, you reflect a little and assess how things are going.