From the abyss.
Living and working abroad exposes an individual to a variety of unique experiences, nonetheless, over time the variation becomes a new norm, and a new type of culture shock appears--the long term kind. To the open-minded traveler, short term culture shock occurs instantaneously and is easily dismissed. Long term culture shock occurs after a significant period of time, when the transplant realizes the honeymoon phase is over. At this juncture, the lifestyle of an alien immigrant switches from vacation to habitual. Simply put, the camera spends more time in the case then out.
In the habitual life of a transplanted English teacher, capturing one photo a day can sometimes be a daunting task--but certainly rewarding. It forces irregularity, creativity, and a diverse perspective on the usual routine. I have run by this mirror up to three times a week for the past 15+ months, and yet it took me this long to stop and watch myself disappear into the accordion reflection.
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