Make over

Immediately upon returning, I set about giving my house a face lift. Setting the tone for 'Jen in Mae Sot, part two'. All told, I spent less that 400 USD completely refurnishing my house (plus sold my old furniture). Still, I've been having guilt about dropping even that much cash in one place, when the funds can stretch so far here, and mean so much to other people. I spent that much just eating out during my month in the states, but here, the comparison is more in your face. Adding to my own internally lodged guilt, my neighbor came over when he saw some furniture getting delivered. He was very insistent I tell him the price of each piece, which I didn't, but he still made his own assumptions, and proceeded to tell me 'we are burmese, we cannot buy such things, we do not have such things in our house'. Now, of all people to be guilted by, my neighbors are actually doing pretty well, and have a very large nice house themselves. But it still flamed up the coals of guilt which are nestled just below my ribcage. Really, there is some expense just about every day that I could feel guilty about if I let myself. Imported grocery items, fresh flowers for the house, swimming at the pool, coffee at Hazel. So many unnecessary things, really. I know it is neither necessary or rational to respond that way, but that then begs the question - how much is too much? where is the line between justifiable comfort and excess? I've been thinking about this question for the last decade, and I'm still no where near having an answer.

On the wetter days, when the rainy season keeps the guilt coals to a smolder, I must say, I am extremely pleased with my 'new' house. It feels really lovely to come home to. It feels like a home. It feels like I live here, and am not just passing through.

And so I reveal the transformation:

Before:

And After: