It Takes Some Getting Used To

We were talking about adjustments recently and thought that listing a few might be of interest. They are not given in a spirit of “we do it right” or even “we do it better”, but just differences that take some getting used to.

Hanging clothes on the line
Toilet paper in a trash basket not the toilet
Contaminated water and keeping filter full for clean water
No assurance that what is in the store today will be there next week
Sampling fruit and cheese at the market before you buy
No canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving
Outside cafés in winter
Huge potholes in the interstate
No central heat
Fear of Tránsitos (traffic police)
Littered streets and sewage smells
Very dry and itchy skin
Dressing up rather than dressing down
No use of checks or credit cards
Narrow and small – streets, houses, aisles, seats, personal space…
Different health standards
Unexpected left hand turns from right hand lanes
Hours of frustration with the telephone company
Always having a dictionary on hand
All night holiday celebrations
Huge rocks used at constructions sites instead of orange cones
An abundance of religious imagery
Plucked chickens heads and all hanging at the market
Spiritual attacks from the enemy
Intersection venders and entertainers
Beggars
No fast food breakfast
Oaxaca cheese
One football game each week but lots of soccer games
Inexpensive medication and without prescriptions
Men carrying bags

Parasites and diarrhea
Tipping almost everyone
Stray dogs
Climbing on top of the house to check the gas gauge
Freezing at night and sunburns in the day
Turning the water heater off at night and back on in the morning


“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1