W.E.I.R.D

It is difficult to see just how deep our culture penetrates all aspects of our life until you spend time in another culture.  The differences in culture have been one of the most difficult aspects for me, Erin, in living overseas.  So much of what we do, how we think, and how we talk, even though it is in the national and even local languages, appears 'weird' to the people we live among because it is so very different.    

When I first considered working overseas I thought about my interest in trying new foods and learning about different cultures.  After living overseas for almost 5 years, I am still surprised at where cultural differences pop up. 

A difference in what we do appears when I cook with other women.  They often comment about how my method of chopping vegetables is very strange.  Since people here rarely use cutting boards, they will hold the carrot, for example, in one hand and the knife in the other, with the blade pointing down.  I will hold my knife with the sharp blade pointing up and use my thumb on the same hand to press on the carrot. 

A difference in how we think was seen yesterday when a student of John's told how he was banned from his high school biology class because he wrote an article that appeared in the newspaper which described his biology class.  Apparently the description was not honoring toward his teacher resulting in the teacher's anger and subsequent banning of the student.  This occurrence is difficult for us to understand because our culture values freedom, where the local culture here values honor above individual freedom.  

Lastly, a difference in how we talk, though in the local language, is seen in the phrases used.  When people here want to travel north to another area they will say, "I'm going down to..."  Then when they travel south they say, "I'm going up to..."  This has been so difficult for us to get use to as so much of our language is connected to our culture.  I want to say, "I'm going down to the big city," but I would sound weird as it is south of us.  Another example is seen in the excuses given for being late or missing an appointment.  We might say we were busy.  To them that is not a response that carries any weight, as they might subsequently ask, "With what?"  In contrast, the teacher might give the excuse, "It was raining," when he shows up late to school.  To us this seems completely absurd, but to them it is accepted as a worthy excuse.  

I recently read an article which stated Americans are W.E.I.R.D.  It was referencing physiological studies in which the sample populations were mostly western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic, and American.  As I thought about myself and the list, I had to agree, it is true, I'm W.E.I.R.D.  It is not a bad thing, for the most part, it is just different.  The difficultly arises when we live within another culture and try to relate to people.  I often feel weird as people stare (which is not rude), frequently ask to take pictures together (without ever introducing themselves), and walk somewhere a few blocks away (they would  ride a motorcycle 99% of the time).  When discussing life our weirdness comes out in the fact that we don't take afternoon naps (resulting in early bedtimes and the limiting of our attendance at evening activities), and freely shower at night (considered dangerous for your health).    Don't get me wrong, many of these aspects have become new normals, but it highlights how deep our culture runs and the difficulty of living overseas. 

Enjoy a few recent pictures from our weird life overseas.

Evangeline and I recently met up with some dear friends in Singapore!

exploring the Botanical Gardens together

It was an incredible time of fellowship and not feeling weird!

Evangeline loves her milk and drinks with a straw no problem.

She slept on the plane like a champ. 

The night bus back to Barat was a different story.

Evangeline walking with current neighbors.

She is very happy to walk while holding on to something, but not brave enough to walk by herself, though she has taken a few steps by herself.  

The house is ready for roofing and the floor to be put in!

Kids will often come over to play with our toys, not our boys.  Yesterday Caedmon and Whitman found an activity for all of them, fake mustaches.  There was a great deal of laughing.  

The other day as I looked out at the sea, I thought of how much goes on below the surface we do not see and was reminded of how much the Father does behind the scenes that we do now know about.

It also served as a reminder to me to focus on the positive (the beauty) not the negative (the differences).