Everyone would likely agree we are affected by our experiences, whether they be small encounters with a stranger at the store or larger frequent interactions with a differing culture while working overseas. Most would hope to be positively affected by their experiences in a way that produces growth and improvement. Being back in the States has revealed ways, sometimes surprising, in which we have been affected by our host culture overseas in Barat.
A few examples of areas in which we've been affected are I, Erin, did not think (initially) to include cards with the presents we've recently taken to birthday parties.
We still think twice about drinking water from any given tap. This goes hand and hand with wanting to make sure every dish used is completely dry (to decrease chances of ingesting infected water) or cringing when it is not.
We are thrilled with the endless options for shopping, but it seems to take me forever as I try to navigate through various supermarkets and decided between the endless options.
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| All is well in the car, unless your playmate falls asleep. |
Caedmon and Evangeline both experience car sickness overseas, yet since our time stateside, thankfully, neither has experienced any sickness in the car, and we have spent a great deal of time in the car.
Wherever we go, we all take our shoes off when entering a house, the boys often right before stepping across the threshold.
Some of these things have become so automatic for us we don't often notice. One example of this was the other day we all walked our visitors out the door when they left. Our visitors lovingly mentioned it struck them as something different. We all laughed as it is a custom we picked up from overseas yet hadn't even realized.
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| Skipping Stones |
We have been spending a great deal of time out doors, though the summer brings hot weather and mosquitos. The weather has been so enjoyable to us as there isn't what feels like any humidity and we all freeze in highly airconditioned environments. I have found the mosquitos here creating only a slight annoyance in me rather than borderline fear as when in Barat because they may carry Dengue Fever. There are so many wonderfully kept hiking trails and playgrounds we can't get enough of either.
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| Camping |
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| Hiking |
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| Enjoying a Park |
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Learning about Gold Panning
while visiting a museum
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Eating Butter
Though slightly surprised and grossed out, I didn't worry about our (personally instituted) monthly butter ration as I could run to the store and have more in a matter of minutes rather than a six hour trip from Barat to the nearest butter selling store.
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Climbing Pine Trees and Seeing Racoons
(middle, above horizontal branches)
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Loving Playgrounds
Evangeline calls slides "wee"..."more wee please"
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| Learning to Swing |
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Evangeline thought this bed looked perfect for herself.
It seems as if everyone has a dog and they are everywhere we go, which is due to the fact the only dogs we see in Barat are the occasional wild dogs which we try to stay away from.
Evangeline and the boys can't get enough and all want a dog of their own.
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Other areas in which we see ourselves having been affected are in certain areas of our home culture. There are certain things that feel like 'coming home' to. Running has been one of these areas for me, as it is not just 'normal' here, but is a very common and popular activity. But there are other areas that have become almost strange to us. In Barat presents brought to an event, such as a birthday, are opened only after all the guests have left. This was strange at first, but now I feel so awkward watching this part of parties here in the States. I just don't see it with the same eyes. Another area is how individualistic our culture is. In Barat we have a hard time getting away from people as they are out and about, ready to interact with anyone in the vicinity. Here in the States I have found myself ready to talk to any random stranger at the park, store, or running down the street in the mornings. I find that being back I now have to think about how to interact with others as it seems to take more intentionality to actually cross paths or even just begin a conversation in an appropriate, not strange way. (In Barat people are so friendly that it isn't a big deal for strangers on a bus, in a restaurant, or on the street to just start up a conversation with one another)
Though this is our 'home culture' we have been affected by living overseas.
