Tuesday, August 18, 2015

9 Unexpected Culture Shock Moments

We're back in Minnesota to begin our Home Ministry Assignment (HMA). As you might expect, life in the U.S. is a little different from our lives in Honduras. And that's meant some interesting cultural re-discoveries over the last two weeks. Here's some of the highlights.

1. The open road. Even in congested areas of the Twin Cities where traffic used to drive us crazy, the roads are organized and everyone follows the rules. And no one tries to cross the freeway on foot with a baby on one hip and five toddlers in tow. It's all so...sensible!

2. We have to pump our own gas. It's not so bad now, but in January we're definitely going to miss that carside service!


3. Wal-Mart. OK. We do have a Wal-Mart in Tegucigalpa, but it's not the same mecca of selection as it is here. We spent five hours there our first day just in awe of the all the options!

4. It's cold. It may be be the middle of August, but the constant whir of the air conditioner keeps every public place in a constant climate of chilly with a chance of frigid. I may have to dig out my coat a little early!

5. Dishwashers are awesome. We even have tiny one in our basement living space and it's my new best friend.


6. Hugging is awkward. And kissing on the cheek is just weird. 

7. Credit card readers are convenient...and strange. We're a little clumsy in the check-out lanes as we try to remember how to pay for groceries in the digital age.

8. 2-liters are small. It's bad enough that we have to live more than 500 yards from the nearest pulperia (convenience store), but now we also have to make do with puny 2-liters of Pepsi rather than the much more gratifying 3-liters we've grown to love. Come on America! We can do better!


9. We don't have to travel in packs. While Nick has taken to going off on his own unsurprisingly well, Steve and I have taken a little more time to realize the sweet joy of going to the grocery store without an entourage.

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