Sometimes delight shows up in the big, beautiful moments—but often it’s tucked into the small, unexpected corners of our lives. A taste that surprises us, a sound that makes us smile, a little glimpse of God’s goodness right where we are.
This month, we’ve been leaning into the theme of delight, and this week we’d love to hear from you! Let’s fill the comments with introductions and snapshots of joy from our cross-cultural lives. Whether you’re brand new to Velvet Ashes or have been around for years, jump in and share. We can’t wait to laugh, nod along, and discover new delights together.
Here are some questions to get us started! Copy and paste them into the comments, and I’ll give my answers here too. Feel free to share as little or as much as you want. You could even pick just one question to answer. We just would love to hear from you!
- Where do you live? (We know some are in sensitive areas, so it’s totally okay to say something more general like “a small town” or “the desert” or a region of the world.)
- What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you—something that always makes you smile (a food, a phrase, a custom, a sight)?
- What’s the most delightful or quirky thing you’ve seen at a local market or shop?
- Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season?
- What’s the last book you loved? Or, what are you currently reading?
- What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it?
- What’s the most delightful “Yes, this actually works!” moment you’ve had cross-culturally (like finding the perfect substitute for an ingredient or improvising in a creative way)?
- What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country?
- What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning?
- What’s your ideal way to end your day?
Where do you live? I’ve been back in my passport country of the US for seven years (how is that possible?) after living in Cambodia, in Southeast Asia. I make my home among the cornfields of the state of Nebraska.
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you? Rolling hills and colorful sunsets. The local library. Dark roast coffee. Auntie life.
What’s the most delightful or quirky thing you’ve seen at a local market or shop? It took me a long time to get used to the freshness of fish in the local Cambodian markets. It always felt like a treat to find familiar items that you didn’t see very often, like celery and strawberries!
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? A new favorite that just came out is called “You are With Me (Psalm 23)” by Ginna Claire Mason.
What’s the last book you loved? Or, what are you currently reading? My favorite book so far this year is Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham. I’ve discovered narrative nonfiction is one of my favorite genres, but I originally picked this one up because it fit the category “A book connected to the year you were born” for my local library’s winter reading challenge. I’m currently reading potential books for our membership book club—come join us!
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? Mangoes and sticky rice. It’s still a favorite when I can find it! Also jackfruit and pink pomelo.
What’s the most delightful “Yes, this actually works!” moment you’ve had cross-culturally? I still remember how thrilled I was when I figured out how to make my own barbecue sauce by subbing ingredients and adding a pinch of this and that.
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country? I would usually try to get something very seasonal, like a pumpkin spice latte or a drink with peppermint. I haven’t been able to travel back to Asia since returning, but if I could go to Cambodia, I would immediately find a Khmer coffee (with sweetened condensed milk).
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? It is farmer’s market season, and I love stocking up on local veggies and baked goods, then savoring an extra cup of coffee and a treat.
What’s your ideal way to end your day? I get up early to go to an exercise class, so I try to start winding down so I can get to bed at a decent time. I try to make sure I have time to read before I go to sleep.
Now over to you! I can’t wait to learn more about what delights you in the comments.
9 Responses
Hi! I’m Emily, and I live in South Asia. 🙂
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you? The unexpected kindness of strangers. People really help you when you need it! I also love and am so grateful for great massages! People are amazing at giving massages here, and it’s affordable.
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? Chai!
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country? Sausage, salads, seasonal treats
What’s your ideal way to end your day? Reading a book until I get sleepy and fall asleep.
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? Reading Scripture with a cup of coffee, then taking things really slow.
Thank you! It really lifted my spirits to focus on delight this month!
Emily, I love this! I am so with you on the kindness of strangers and what a blessing that is. I’m so glad the conversations brought you delight this last month! 🙂
Hey, I’m Charlene!
Where do you live? I’ve been back in the US for 10 years after 7 years in South Asia
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you—something that always makes you smile? Right now it’s Monarch butterfly caterpillars!
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? Canticle by Taya and Jon Guerra
What’s the last book you loved? Or, what are you currently reading? Looking Up, a Birder’s Guide to Hope Through Grief by Courtney Ellis
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Himalayan butter tea
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? Snuggling with my daughter watching nature shows on TV then going for a hike with my dog
What’s your ideal way to end your day? Reading a good book
Charlene, ooh, Himalayan butter tea sounds so interesting! I’m not sure I would find it delightful but maybe it would surprise me as well. 😉
I was told to think of it more like soup, and that helped!
Hi! I’m Connie and I live in NE Brazil.
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you—something that always makes you smile? The ocean
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? I am not Alone sung by NB Worship
What’s the last book you loved? I am reading Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us about the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans and I am really enjoying it.
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country? Dr. Pepper!
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? Taking it slow and making a big breakfast with bacon, eggs and pancakes
What’s your ideal way to end your day? Reading a book in bed
Such fun questions.
I’m Ruth and I live in Port Moresby the capital city of Papua New Guinea.
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you— a fresh mango
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? Feels Like Home by Drew and Elllie Holcomb
What’s the last book you loved? Really loved the perspective in the book The Hospitality of Need: How Depending on One Another Helps Us Heal and Grow Together.
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? Sago cooked in coconut milk
What’s the most delightful, “Yes, this actually works” moments- Getting a good taco seasoning combination that I liked
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country? Grapes
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? Saturday mornings are usually pretty busy either doing ministry or twice a month getting to be part of an expat Bible study group that I help lead, so life giving though.
What’s your ideal way to end your day? If the younger kids go to bed on time spending a bit of one on one time with my oldest. But the end of the day often feels chaotic and I usually crash not long after the kids do.
Where do you live? The Middle East
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you—something that always makes you smile? Adults’ open affection for babies and small children
What’s the most delightful or quirky thing you’ve seen at a local market or shop? I find the PILES of spices just beautiful.
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? “Psalm 103” by Steffany Gretzinger
What’s the last book you loved? Or, what are you currently reading? Currently reading and appreciating Breaking the Marriage Idol by Kutter Callaway
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? Kenafe is a sticky, sweet, warm local dessert which I love.
What’s the most delightful “Yes, this actually works!” moment you’ve had cross-culturally (like finding the perfect substitute for an ingredient or improvising in a creative way)? Since sour cream doesn’t exist here, I’ve found that the always-available tart yogurt is just as good as a topping for soups for soups or Mexican dishes.
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country? Bacon!
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? Sleeping in, extended time with God, and then coffee with a friend
What’s your ideal way to end your day? A cup of tea, a shower, relaxing Pilates, and reading in bed
I love this! I’m Michele and currently live in SE Asia.
What’s one little thing in your current culture that delights you—something that always makes you smile (a food, a phrase, a custom, a sight)?- When you’re caught walking in the rain, older ladies standing outside will always, say, “Miss, it’s raining,” as you walk by. That has always made me chuckle.
What’s the most delightful or quirky thing you’ve seen at a local market or shop? -The variety of batik prints makes me happy.
Do you have a song that has been on repeat in this season? -Not one song, but I wake up to Maverick City Music every morning.
What’s the last book you loved? Or, what are you currently reading? -I recently finished Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and thoroughly enjoyed it. Currently reading Little Fires Everywhere.
What local snack, fruit, or treat surprised you with delight the first time you tried it? -SO MANY… I’ll go with nogosari- banana wrapped in a tapioca/rice flour dough and steamed in a banana leaf- because I still remember my first one in 1997! I also love mangosteen!
What’s the most delightful “Yes, this actually works!” moment you’ve had cross-culturally (like finding the perfect substitute for an ingredient or improvising in a creative way)? -Just recently, having been overwhelmed with my work schedule, I found a healthy meal delivery service and got a microwave (first time since moving overseas) and now have delicious lunches I don’t have to think about in my room in the dorm of the school everyday. This literally brings me delight I can hardly express every.single.day!
What’s one of the first food or drink items you have when you visit your passport country?- chips and salsa and Diet Dr. Pepper
What do you enjoy doing on a Saturday morning? This is a funny one, but it’s time to get away from school where I also live, and I often end up at McDonald’s for an Egg McMuffin and coffee while I sit and read my Bible. (McD turns out to now be a kind of chill place like a cafe here).
What’s your ideal way to end your day? A little time in prayer before reading in bed till I fall asleep (preferably EARLY)!