20 December 2010
People who originally came to the U.S. of A. called this the “New World…” and I have to agree. Since arriving in this country last night I’ve found a few strange phenomenons I felt it would be good to share. It may turn out you think these are normal, but I can truly assure you – they are not.
Hot water in the shower… 1. it’s strange that it feels good and needed. 2. No flipping of switches or 15 minutes of heating water required beforehand!
Boots. It seems the newest rage as of late is to wear boots with fur up to your knees. With tight pants underneath. Maybe this has been around for a while, but for me (living in the land of sandals-only-or-else-you’ll-die-of-heat-stroke), it’s a little new. (Note to self: Evidently it’s a good thing for missionaries to sit in airports for several hours on their way to their home country… this way they can discover the latest fashion trends and how not to break them! Although I’m sure I’ll fail anyway…)
Stuff. It’s amazing to see stuff for sale in airports… like m&ms. electronics. and real movies (not just the kind that are burned in China).
There are also a few things that are slightly terrifying me…
Water fountains. They have water that you can drink right out of the tap. And for that matter, water out of the kitchen sink tap that you can drink. Is it safe???
Being able to plug a computer or any device into the wall without worrying about power spiking. I’m having a tough time trusting this…
Realizing I don’t have to keep every electronic device I own constantly charged in case the power goes out for a couple of hours… or days. Will it really still be on tomorrow???
COLD! Brr. Did I really live in this place for the first 20 years of my life??? Then again, I'm loving using more than half a sheet to sleep at night!!! and I'm definitely wearing a fleece blanket around the house today...
Stuff. I kind of forgot how much stuff I have, even in my room, from college and my earlier life as a teacher. There are drawers with sharpies, tissue paper, and pipe cleaners strewn about, as if you can get these anywhere! I forgot that once upon a time, I would go to Walmart the night before a school day to buy such things for a craft project for my kiddos… instead of ordering them via a kind friend or parent from the States 6 months in advance. Really, I forgot some of these things existed in bulk at all!
AND I’m realizing just how many books I have. It’s sad how many kids books I have collected over the years for my classroom and can’t bring with me to the Land of Tanz! :( My kids would LOVE these and I wish I could bring them all. I feel like my “pile of potential things to bring back” is going to start growing out of control quickly…
Anyway, that’s all my musings for now. Happy start to your holidays, and continue to be thankful for the blessings all around!
I never thought I would be a part of that club of missionaries who would understand everything you just wrote.....but I can SO relate!!! I loved the comment about the boots. I am SO nervous about the fashion! =0) Enjoy your time....and looking forward to reading more culture shock posts.
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