This post is for our fellow missionaries and expats, trying to find humor and victories in the simple, mundane things of everyday life. Just like the Scouts, expatriates and missionaries should start collecting merit badges for the things we have accomplished. Here are a few that my friends and I thought about to get us started…

• I killed a giant bug in the house without screaming
• I didn’t cry when dinner was ruined by weevils in the flour
• I waited patiently 2 hours for food to come after ordering
• I popped a mango worm out of my kid
• I was kind to the parking attendant in town
• I didn’t roll my eyes when the fifth person of the day requested money
• I made it through a whole day without a ponytail
• I had a patient attitude when meeting began 2 hours later than scheduled
• I was able to get money out of the first ATM I tried
• I didn’t panic when cheese couldn’t be found in town
• I shopped in the local supermarket without breaking into a sweat
• I video called family this month
• I killed a rat by stomping on it
• I didn’t kill a goat while driving through the village
• I only had to go to one supermarket to find my groceries
• My stomach wasn’t messed up today
• I survived both water & electricity being out for the day
• I chopped veggies and cut through maggots without vomiting
• I handled a morning of what seemed like hundreds of interruptions
• I calmly waited for motorcycles to move so I could get into a parking spot
• I was finally able to get out the meat stuck between my teeth
• I swept out ants, gecko poop and cobwebs from a top closet that hasn’t been opened for years

Feel free to comment and add merit badges you or others have earned. Let’s celebrate and laugh about some of the hard and funny things we get to experience.