Culture Shock

In January, I returned to Bangkok for our annual Maryknoll retreat (held in Hua Hin, Thailand).  I remembered, just 12 short months before when I first arrived in the region, thinking everything was so chaotic, loud, busy, overwhelming.  There were overwhelming smells, trash carelessly tossed aside, and a visual cacophony of color.  My senses were assaulted from every direction.  On this return trip, I arrived to Bangkok at night and went straight to my friend Carly's apartment.  I was struck immediately, even at night, with how orderly everything seemed to be.  Cars only traveled in one direction on each side of the street.  There were stop lights, which people actually followed. Everything was so organized.

Returning to the USA this past month was a whole new level of shock to the system.  Grass is striking.  There are small swatches of expertly manicured, more turf than natural-looking lawn in Cambodia but nothing like the suburbs of Oregon where fields grow wild and free.  The first night as I laid down to sleep the silence was astounding.  No fan clicking away, no roosters from the cock fights down the street, no dogs barking, motos whizzing past, bugs, frogs, and geckos chirping.  And, it was cool.  Blankets were a requirement instead of a dream from the past while being in a present where the only blanket I longed for was one made of snow.

Carpet is amazing.  I have slept on the hard wood floor of my village house a number of nights, convincing myself the woven mat which is my bed provides more than enough padding for my ever bonier hips.  I don't even need a bed here in the US.  Just give me a swatch of cloud made of braided fibers and laid over a pad on the floor.  So plush!

The biggest shock to the system was... toilet seats.  Let's just say, I now understand the carpet toilet seat covers that went our of style before I entered this world.  My house never really drops below 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit, neither does my toilet seat...  Here in the great USA, toilet seats rarely reach such a heavenly temperature and to my now celestial hind parts, 60 degree toilet seats were a real shock.  I may have squealed and jumped-up at my first USA throne experience.  These are the things they don't prepare us for when re-entering our native culture.

Traffic is another major shock.  First of all, cars move so fast.  'Normal' USA driving seems absolutely reckless to me, because speeds like that are rarely reached in Cambodia.  When I go for a run, cars stop and wait for me from a block away.  The very first morning I ventured out, a car literally backed-up so I could run in front (it could have turned and been half way to Cambodia before I even reached the crosswalk but, clearly, the driver was a poor judge of speed).  Crosswalks are also mind boggling.  In Cambodia, many of us expats will often talk about how problem solving and thinking outside the box are not common characteristics.  The education system focuses on memorization and society reinforces the belief of falling in line and doing what you are told.  But, at least Cambodians are able to cross a street without a little white flashing man to tell them it is ok to walk.  Your average Cambodian can judge the speed of cars, motos, and bikes with their miscellaneous wares strapped to the top all while having a conversation and carrying the entire day's produce - oh, and dodging a potentially rabid dog, that is key.

But, in the USA, I have been able to put my own critical thinking to good use with this little challenge set-up by my sister and brother-on-law.  I think I was successful.