Top 12 for settling in.......
67. Found shoes my size! Ha ha ha That one salesman didn't know that in the new town there were shoes of all sizes! Still working on a picture to post.
68. Walking down the street on a rainy day with friends and heard noises above our head. We looked up to find little feet and laughing children making monkey noises. We went from being startled to laughing hysterically. I guess this is normal when it rains.
69. Move over donkeys, now I am trying my best to avoid on coming traffic here. There are traffic lights, stop signs etc but some drivers here take liberty in driving however, whenever, and wherever they want. I will have to keep using my cat like reflexes to keep from being like the loser in a game of Frogger! LOL
70. Our neighborhood shopkeepers now make jokes with us and one of them spoke English a few weeks ago for the first time. My friends and I looked at each other and said, "Do you mean to tell me that you could speak English this entire time?!" He then laughed and said," No. No. I only know what I just said. There is no more."
Our excitement turned sour after only a split second.
71. When visiting families in town for dinner if we pause too long between bites we are practically yelled at to EAT! EAT MORE! In August we would react by eating until we felt we could barely move, but after being here for a while we know that 'slow and steady wins the race' ha ha ha don't know if that statement really matches but if you keep motioning as if you are eating even though you're not you can avoid the constant EAT! EAT MORE!
72. I now where just about whatever funny outfit I can when I am not wearing my spiffy work uniform (Photos coming soon). So five days out of the week I get to try out wardrobe combinations that I would have never really tried in the states. Wearing yellow on rainy days is still a tradition that has survived.
73. When you help your neighbors with groceries they bring dates and bread to your apartment.
74. Sometimes people do random acts of kindness that make being here a little easier.
75. When running past an old man he said,"To your health!" in Arabic. I would have replied but wasn't awake enough to do so. LOL
76. Finds sitting on the roof to be quite enjoyable.
77. People don't move over when you are walking down the sidewalk. People don't move over for you in line at the grocery store, fruit stand, bus stop. You just have to make your own way here.
78. Errands take a lot longer here...last week I went to get a internet USB repaired and spent about an hour and a half walking from one store to another, while the shopkeeper at the first store says, "What are you eating?" I had a piece of pastry in my hand from the bakery. I offered him some but he smiled and refused. "You are not understanding me. I told you this the week before....go to another store." When I said I did not know where the other store was and could he explain it, he said,( in a joking manner ringing his hands),"I want to kill you! Ha ha ha! You keep coming here and I cannot fix this for you. There is no guarantee." I insisted that he help me because I bought the USB there, and I didn't fully understand. So he laughs again and sends his apprentice with me to go to the 'other' store. I go and the apprentice gets right down to business with another shopkeeper for forty five minutes. I looked at other products and I even did a short moonwalk on a dare from my friend who was there. The marble floor was so smooth and it was totally worth it! Ha ha ha...After waiting for another 20 minutes I walked with the apprentice back to the first shopkeeper who puffed out his chest as I showered him with words of gratitude and 'You were right the whole time!' and then he turned to his apprentice who smiled and he said, 'That is why I said I want to kill you! ha ha ha!' I laughed nervously and said thanks again and was on my way home with a working USB.
79.Small tasks can become complicated...who would have ever thought that printing from a computer, finding standard sized envelopes, changing a lightbulb, buying a fan, checking out the public park, booking a hotel room, doing laundry, etc would
take multiple people, money, and most of all time.....I hope that I can say that I am more patient having lived here.
80. No crepes before 3pm. On Easter, we went to brunch and ordered crepes, but we were told by the waiter that there were no crepes. Sometimes I go to get a waffle or a crepe from a vendor on the main street, so I thought I will go there. When I approached the booth where they are made the vendor shook his head and said, " It's too early! Can you come back at 3pm? We will make crepes at 3pm?!!" I didn't go back that day...it was an Easter with no crepes.
81. My students love Tektonic dancing! I have never heard of this type of dancing but apparently it's very popular here. It's hilarious to watch them dance with no inhibitions. The best part is the serious expressions on their faces. Maybe I can learn a few moves to show people back home!
82. After having dinner with friends last weekend, I almost forgetting that I was not in the states, but was quickly reminded as I was walking home. Behind every corner was some man lurking and yelling at me in any language they thought that I could understand. Decided that I would take a taxi if I was ever out after 9pm again.
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