Friday, July 07, 2006
Culture Shock??
Three reasons why I think I might be going through culture shock right now:
1. Recently, I decided I can’t STAND how dirty Mbarara is…it seems there is TRASH everywhere! Just the other day, we were out in a village and I was giving out some gum and the people took it and thanked me and then threw their trash on the ground! AAAAHHHHH! And it wasn’t even KIDS! It was adults! What is the matter with using trash cans??
2. As I was making potato salad for the 4th of July (I’m not a huge fan of the holiday, but it was a little different celebrating it in another country!), I realized that the 35 potatoes I was cutting weren’t all the same. It’s as if some are baking potatoes and some are not. (I know that there are LOTS of other types of potatoes besides baking potatoes, I just can’t remember what they are at this point.) Anyhow, it hit me, in America, I would have bought the “right kind” of potatoes to boil, peel, and cut up to make a delicious potato salad. HERE, the only thing you get is “irish potatoes” or “sweet potatoes”.
3. So my interns are gone and I have the house to myself. Great, right? WRONG! I still have workers on my compound 24/7! Walking around the house in a pair of shorts…oops! There’s a window! Feel like I have to keep curtains and windows and doors closed to protect a little bit of privacy. But I HATE the closed up atmosphere when I do…
*Please pray for me in this time of adjustment!
1. Recently, I decided I can’t STAND how dirty Mbarara is…it seems there is TRASH everywhere! Just the other day, we were out in a village and I was giving out some gum and the people took it and thanked me and then threw their trash on the ground! AAAAHHHHH! And it wasn’t even KIDS! It was adults! What is the matter with using trash cans??
2. As I was making potato salad for the 4th of July (I’m not a huge fan of the holiday, but it was a little different celebrating it in another country!), I realized that the 35 potatoes I was cutting weren’t all the same. It’s as if some are baking potatoes and some are not. (I know that there are LOTS of other types of potatoes besides baking potatoes, I just can’t remember what they are at this point.) Anyhow, it hit me, in America, I would have bought the “right kind” of potatoes to boil, peel, and cut up to make a delicious potato salad. HERE, the only thing you get is “irish potatoes” or “sweet potatoes”.
3. So my interns are gone and I have the house to myself. Great, right? WRONG! I still have workers on my compound 24/7! Walking around the house in a pair of shorts…oops! There’s a window! Feel like I have to keep curtains and windows and doors closed to protect a little bit of privacy. But I HATE the closed up atmosphere when I do…
*Please pray for me in this time of adjustment!
# posted by beth @ 2:34 PM 
Comments:
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Yes, I will be praying. It may be that you're beginning to develop a more balanced cultural perspective, able to value both your home culture and your adopted culture. (And also able to critique/be irritated by some things in each culture.)
I loved the chicken story. It was too funny.
I loved the chicken story. It was too funny.
# posted by 
: 3:10 PM
: 3:10 PM
You are doing such an amazing thing. Even Jesus had to get away for some privacy sometimes. You need a Mount of Olives.
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