Culture Shock

Nothing is the same as it is in the US. I want to start there and emphasize that it is neither better nor worse than the US, just different. I don’t think that it is fair to say one culture is better than another because that isn’t something that anyone can just judge. Each culture has its own and unique and cannot be judged by the standards of another culture.

That being said, it is still very very different than what I am used to. I feel like a child being taught how to do laundry, and cook, and make my bed, and shower, and go to the bathroom, and dress myself, and interact with people. It is only the second- going on third week, and I have never felt so helpless in a new place. I feel like I can’t do anything right. I have never done anything like this before. Completely change how I interact with the world. I knew that it would be different compared to how it was back home, but this was a bit of a shock. I have a whole new level of respect for my friends and neighbors who have come to the US from other countries. It can be scary just being thrown into a new culture and not understanding the rules or the language that surrounds you.

In the village that I am living in for the next three months, the first big shock I encountered was the way people greet each other. Everyone says hello to everyone you pass on the street. And not just a single, “hey,” it is a parade of salutations, “Hello” “Hello” “How are you” “I am well, and you?” “Good” “How did you sleep?” “I slept well” “Peace” “Peace” “Good” “Fine”. Not in English, of course, but every time I walk to school in the morning I am inundated with what seems like hundreds of greetings in a single walk to school. It can be daunting and often exhausting.

You know what, that wasn’t the first shock. The first shock was the toilets. Above you can see the toilets that I will be using for the next 2 years. This is called the choo. Honestly, I kind of dread peeing in the day because every time I do I worry about my aim… so that is something I am getting used to. Hopefully by the time I leave I will have mastered the squat, and I will never fear a public bathroom again with my fantastic squatting skills. Oh, and always bring toilet paper with you, they aren’t provided in the bathrooms here… I won’t go into detail, but lets just say you only touch people’s right hands.

Next shock I think goes back to the friendliness of the culture. My host family takes the host thing pretty literally in that they are seemingly always hosting! I feel like there is always someone in the house that I just don’t know. It is also customary to make more food at dinner than you think you will need because people will just come over to your house for dinner without warning. This is known as the Hodi hodi!

This is a picture of our kitchen. Yes there are 2 stoves that are on the floor. That is it. There are a few of these pots called sufuria that are basically metal bowls that you use on the tiny stoves. My mama when she cooks with these, doesn’t use pot holders she just grabs pots of boiling liquid with just her fingertips and moves it onto the concrete floor. We also don’t have a cutting board, so we are always playing a dangerous game of will I slip when I am cutting this tomato and lose a finger? It’s ok though. The knives aren’t sharp enough to break the skin.

Rapid fire differences:

• Showers? Ha! Here’s a bucket, good luck!
• Going to bed? Bugspray, tuck in the mosquito net, start sweating with just a sheet, wake up in the night shivering and put the thick blanket over you.
• Waking up? (somehow still have bug bites on you) Make the bed by putting up the mosquito net. Brush teeth and not drop the toothbrush into the hole in the choo (a friend of mine did that).
• Eating? Use the right hand, and eat your entire body weight in carbs with maybe a banana.
• Trash? Throw it outside and burn it. There always smells like there is something burning around town.
• School? That’s another story we can get into when I talk about my teaching experience in a few weeks.

Basically, what I am saying is that I am learning. I am really just doing my best. I am learning the language, I am trying to make friends, I am figuring out how to teach for real (I didn’t really think that I would find my way back here like this) and I am just trying to learn about this new culture the best that I can. Sure I don’t love every single minute, but overall with the roller coaster of emotions I am feeling, I can say that I am loving this experience so far. I love the people and their sometimes overwhelming friendliness, I am learning to love the food, I am learning to adapt and make some changes to blend with the culture more and genuinely, truly, having the best experience.

I am excited right now, I’ll let you know how I feel in a year I guess, and I am excited to see what the next big thing will be.