As I gear up to head home, I’m trying to remember things that differ between two very different countries, in a pointless attempt to minimize some culture shock.
- It will be no long acceptable to ‘psssst’ at people to get their attention when I get back. For sure.
- I need to stop calling French fries ‘chips’. This could lead to some disappointments.
- Although months away, I need to prepare myself mentally for a Midwestern winter. Or convince my entire family to move south before November.
- It’s not normal to have a tea break in the middle of a work day. Which is separate from lunch.
- Work days are not normally 4 hours long.
- When you greet someone in Rwanda, you always shake their hand, even after a hug. This will be a hard habit to break. I know, because I go for the handshake even with my cohort, and most times, I’m left hanging.
- America is much louder than Rwanda. I can go hours at my house here without hearing even a car pass. Henry David Thoreau would have loved Rwanda.
- If I want to go somewhere, I’m going to have to drive? Myself? Do I remember how to operate a vehicle?
- What is air conditioning?
- I realized one day when I was video chatting with my family that my house has stairs, and it struck me as weird…
- I also recently got a kitenge dress that is above my knees and it feels SCANDALOUS. So that will be an adjustment.
- I suspect that cleaning and cooking for myself will also take some conscious effort. I’ve been spoiled with house girls for an entire year.
- As weird as it sounds, I think it will be strange when background noises like conversations, the TV, and music, will all be in English when I go back home. I’ve gotten used to hearing Kinyarwanda constantly.