Culture "Sparks"

When I think of being "shocked" dramatic emotions and images are evoked.  I wouldn't say I experienced reverse culture shock in the least upon returning home Friday night. I really like being home, so naturally it's easy to adapt.  Old habits die hard, for better or worse, so adjusting to life back in the U.S. was pretty easy. 

While on our bike ride to and from the farmer's market Saturday morning, I did have a few "sparks" that made me think about the differences between what I was currently seeing and doing vs. what I experienced for the past 4.5 weeks. 

#1:  Riding up to the path in our neighborhood where person after (white) person jogged or rode bikes, I was keenly aware that I had not seen anything like this in Ghana.  From what I saw, Ghanaians don't typically exercise.  Most people were doing some kind of work-whether school work, running a shop, or selling merchandise on the street.  Who has time to go for a run just for fun?

#2:  Scents.  In our first hour being outside I smelled a couple of scents that I normally would complain about, but as I considered how often I practiced breathing through my mouth in the past weeks, I held my tongue and thanked God for the overall freshness and cleanliness of the air I was breathing.

#3:  Handshakes.  A student's parents drove us home from the airport Friday night, and as I went to shake the dad's hand, I instinctively went to do the finger snap that accompanies handshakes in Ghana. It's really a fun way to greet someone, or celebrate mid-conversation if good news is shared.  It would be great if people picked up on this!

#4:  Shaving in the shower. Every time I did it in Ghana I would have to restrain myself from putting the razor handle in my mouth during the initial lather up like I always do.  Upon my first shower at home, in it went without a second thought.

#5:   Making change. As I handed the vendor at the market a $20 for the basil I purchased, I paused and asked if she had change.  She looked at me a little funny and said "yes". It was common for vendors to be unable to make change for larger bills even at the grocery store in the mall in Ghana. 

#6:  Scenery.  Our bike ride took us through neighborhoods with lush, green grass, immaculate yards not littered with trash, and neatly manicured lawns.

I think if our egg sandwich sales girl, Portia, or her younger brother Albert would come to stay with us and see our life, they would have extreme culture shock.  Ben joked as he imagined us showing her around: "Portia, here's our second car, and this is our office which Katie complains about twice a week because it's not organized enough, and here are all of the bobbleheads..."

Contrasting cultures: not better or worse-just different.