Last October, McDonald’s finally arrived here in Bedrock. We have three successful KFC’s, and now McDonald’s makes four “foreign” franchises in town; we have no others. I’ll faint in shock if Pizza Hut, Starbucks, or DQ make it here like they have made it to bigger cities in this country. Here in Bedrock, KFC is packed out at all hours of the day. These people love chicken. The crowds at KFC, along with the blaring music, make it an impossible place to carry on a conversation though. But for whatever reason, McDonald’s is less crowded. It is the least crowded McDonalds I have ever seen. My American friends all fear it will close due to the lack of business. I’ve only known one other McDonald’s that closed, and that was in my hometown in west Texas. If this one closes too, I’m going to feel like it’s somehow my fault. :-) We foreigners in Bedrock like to go to McDonalds, because it is quiet, has a great view of the center of town, and is a good meeting place. We also like McDonalds because it is a sign of progress in this developing nation…we live in a city that is on its’ way up.

Back in East Asia

I was in the USA from October 23rd until March 2nd...a little more than four months. During that time I mostly stayed with my parents in Texas. I traveled a few times. I went to Washington, D.C., Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. In Texas, I mostly stayed in East Texas, venturing once to San Antonio. The D.C. and San Antonio trips were to visit my brothers and their families. Mostly, it was just good to be home with my mom and dad. I got to DFW airport early on the morning of March 1st for my return flight, and the airlines wouldn't let my dog travel with me. You never saw such wailing and gnashing of teeth...mine! I had all the required paperwork, but the weird airline wouldn't let Mimi on anyway. So Mimi is still in Texas running laps in my parents' backyard while I am over here in East Asia trying to figure out how to get the little pooch back over the Pacific pond. I am not a happy camper in this matter. I would very much appreciate your prayers for me as I try to navigate this mess. If I ever get this dog back over here, she's not ever going to Texas again, that's for sure. Other than this problem with bureaucracy, I am busy trying to clean up the horrible dusty dirt all over my apartment, and unpacking. My apartment is warm (ah yes, but the government-controlled steam heat should end in 10 days and THEN my apartment will double as a refrigerator); my apartment was not this warm all last winter. Really, life is going very, very well except my DOGGONE DOG IS GONE! COME BACK MIMI!