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That's so cool, dcp! You're a third culture kid -- do you identify with that? We lived in Germany until I was six (Argentina before that, where I was born, but we left when I was months old), so my transition back to the States was pretty easy -- I think my older two sisters identify more with the third culture kid profile, especially the eldest -- she was abroad from maybe 9 or 10 until 17. My dad worked for Dupont. We came back in '74 after his colon cancer diagnosis.

Are y'all familiar with Chongqing? I was not.

I saw Chungking Express but I don't actually know if that refers to the same place. And that's the extent of my knowledge, such as it is.

The Partition of India was covered a little bit in one of my history classes during my second attempt at a master's, so I know a bit about that, although not much. It was actually a British History class, iirc, so that informs what I know.

You're a third culture kid -- do you identify with that?

Absolutely.

At the international schools in Pakistan the student body was made up of dip kids, mish kids, contractor kids, local upper-class kids, and local wealthy middle-class kids. Because my Dad worked for USAID, I was on the fringe of the dip kids, and the fringe of the contractor kids. One of the oddities there was that they offered French and Spanish language classes -- but not Urdu. So I learned Spanish in school, and Urdu at home. (I don't remember much of any of it. A few dozen words of vocabulary. Sigh.)

At the Woodstock School [link] in northern Uttar Pradesh (now Himachal Pradesh) in India, most of the students were foreign mish kids and/or Indian kids from wealthy families.

The curriculum was set up to prepare students for O-levels, A-levels, PSATs, ACTs, SATs, and a whole lot of AP exams. There were Hindi classes for all grades and all levels. The high school offered advanced math for all four years. Three years of German, French, Spanish, biology, chemistry, and physics were available. There were special arrangements for daytrips hiking in the foothills of the Himalayas, and once a semester you could sign up for long-weekend excursions deeper into the mountains.

The dorms were 500 feet lower down the hillside than the classrooms. Making that climb after breakfast was no fun, but it did build up the leg muscles.

The food was boarding-school terrible.

Ah, nostalgia.

How interesting!

Are "mish kids" missionary kids?

If so, my friend Greta and her brother were mish kids, growing up in Africa. Came back to the States with a posh British accent that did not go over well in Indiana.

TCG is still sick and is actually taking a sick day from work, which never ever happens.

Ooh, I hope he feels better.

I saw Chungking Express but I don't actually know if that refers to the same place

A great movie! And you are now turning the lightbulb on in my head and realizing, of course, I have heard of Chungking. Though I didn't know anything about it.

Thanks for the birthday wishes, y’all!

Belated Happy Birthday, Calli!

Today is a momentous day in my personal history as I'm about to go see a therapist for the first time. I've reached a level of bare functionality that I recognize as depression. I've never been prone to chronic depression, but I did go through depression after my mother's death. And I recognize it now.

Also, Matilda's therapist has been reaching out to me and doing sessions with me periodically (generally once every two or three months). Because both Matilda and I have been so stressed and depressed over the last few months, she's done sessions with me in both Sept and Oct, and I realized I really looked forward to them.

So it's time.

Chongqing - City in China.

I was familiar with it mainly because a few years back the Avengers STATION project we were involved with did an installation there so a few of my employees had to travel there. One of their takeaways was how unusual it was for non-Chinese to be in that city. Unlink other cities in China where we did projects, there really was nothing set up to deal with non-chinese.

Today is a momentous day in my personal history as I'm about to go see a therapist for the first time.

I'm sure it'll be helpful -- I'm glad you recognized the signs that therapy would be a good idea. (Welcome to the club.)

I've done it off and on. Support groups too.(It's been a long time since, actually, but it doesn't feel like it.) Hope it helps, Hec.