tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post8729165657626819629..comments2013-08-08T01:07:40.007-07:00Comments on Olive Tree: Growing Green in God's House: Criticizing our Hosts? Or Learning from Them?Betsy de Cruzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07081162585307212930noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-60867299161952471472011-05-06T10:29:27.923-07:002011-05-06T10:29:27.923-07:00I wanted to say thank you for dropping by my blog ...I wanted to say thank you for dropping by my blog and commenting. I have enjoyed the moments on your blog and appreciate you heart to share your life for others to learn from here. Keep posting you have great bits of wisdom to share. I will be keeping up..following along now.Creatively Contenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16023737844849191535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-46942282198449236372011-05-05T05:53:13.172-07:002011-05-05T05:53:13.172-07:00Olive Tree - Thanks for a good, practical post! Gr...Olive Tree - Thanks for a good, practical post! Grumbling comes naturally to cross-cultural living. It's like putting on a sweater with a scratchy tag still inside - it keeps rubbing and we're annoyed; those around us hear our cries of discomfort. I criticized many things at first also. In fact, I still do from time to time. Your advice to cultivate wonder and thankfulness, and to recognize kindness is an excellent reminder to the rest of us. Blessings to you as you serve Christ in Turkey!Ilonahttp://www.inkyspot.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-72934630805977332342011-05-05T00:45:50.808-07:002011-05-05T00:45:50.808-07:00There are so many things that I love about it too....There are so many things that I love about it too. It's good to keep those things at the forefront of my mind on days when living outside of my home country gets frustrating.Betsy de Cruzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081162585307212930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-82109464617204108612011-05-04T12:54:00.791-07:002011-05-04T12:54:00.791-07:00There are so many things about living in Turkey th...There are so many things about living in Turkey that I loved... I can still just "hear" the outside summer play of the kids on the streets and around our apartment complex. I loved your story of the bakery... such a beautiful lesson in trust, isn't it!? I remember the first time a Turk closed his shop down to walk me a block a way to "show" me the directions I was asking... not just tell me. <br />Now, not that I loved all of Turkey... I had many complaining days, too. <br />But, so appreciated your post. Seeing grace. Seeing kindness. Looking for the beautiful. Love it. <br />Thanks for stopping by my blog, too. Bless you as you live and love Turkey--- it will always and forever have a special place in my heart.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13680594461260449242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-66184480843953981492011-05-04T06:03:44.330-07:002011-05-04T06:03:44.330-07:00Hope you don't mind, but I put a link to this ...Hope you don't mind, but I put a link to this post in my IRL blog today. Rereading it I thought of something to add to my list. When I got my license in Mexico, they let me preview the photo of myself and offered to retake it if I didn't like it. Think they'd take time to do that in the U.S.? Not likely....Jamie Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168408977811339924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-22416457265794565832011-05-01T08:58:30.209-07:002011-05-01T08:58:30.209-07:00This truly effects all of us - where ever we are. ...This truly effects all of us - where ever we are. We are given so many blessings every day of our life that we don't acknowledge them. You reminded me that I need to slow down to acknowledge all my blessings and provide blessings for others. <br /><br />I'm sorry to hear you were robbed today. This action robs us all of trust for each other and of those blessings we give to each other. Hopefully the person who robbed you will find it in their heart to one day return it to you or someone else in need.Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10072417618067944046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-82497364281262441172011-04-30T12:49:05.555-07:002011-04-30T12:49:05.555-07:00Thanks for your comments. Yes, we do have a lot to...Thanks for your comments. Yes, we do have a lot to learn, and I have also been through the social security number bureaucracy in America. It was a good eye opening experience for me, too. <br /><br />Actually I'm struggling a bit to keep from grumbling because I was robbed today! I never expect that here, where stealing is not near as common as in El Salvador, my dear husband's home.Betsy de Cruzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07081162585307212930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-41465203234990792822011-04-30T08:06:19.571-07:002011-04-30T08:06:19.571-07:00Thanks. I, too, have grumbled about many of the s...Thanks. I, too, have grumbled about many of the same things, particularly regarding bureaucracy. What helped me was to face an almost identical situation in the U.S. where we didn't fit in the system. Our foreign born children had trouble getting social security numbers because ... well, long story. Anyway, we made numerous trips running around, waiting in line, praying, sighing, and being overall very frustrated. This somehow encouraged me that it isn't just in Mexico, but everywhere that these things happen. We shouldn't expect otherwise. That's just life. If we lived someplace else we would trade one set of irritations for another.Jamie Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168408977811339924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3974164808743497962.post-44783314998253084682011-04-30T00:25:15.523-07:002011-04-30T00:25:15.523-07:00Very convicting post. I often find myself grumblin...Very convicting post. I often find myself grumbling about the disorganized culture. I am administrative by nature. Organized, always. But slowly I have learned that the Arab culture is slowly teaching me that relationships matter moreso than being on time. Conversations are meaningful.<br /><br /> So much to learn. Loved your example from the doctor, I had a similar experience. <br /><br />Thanks for the post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com