I have officially been here one week now, and here are a few (random) things I have learned:
Learning a new lifestyle and adapting to another culture is exciting, yet exhausting. As I was hanging some Bible verses up on my walls around my apartment today, I was reminded of Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." I am so thankful that God is my Rock, and I can rely on Him to provide strength for each day.
- The city of Santa Cruz is set up in rings. The Lower Lot (where I live) and the school are in the seventh ring. Depending on traffic, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the center ring.
- Santa Cruz has a nickname. It is referred to as "Sandy Cruz" because of how dusty it is. My classroom is proof of this fact.
- A person from Santa Cruz is called a "Camba".
- A Bolivian will never tell another Bolivian "no". If they are given an invitation but already have previous commitments, they will talk their way around the issue without ever agreeing to commit.
- People are greeted with a kiss on the cheek.
- A person can either live like an American, like a Bolivian, or a combination of both. However, if you live like an American, it will cost a lot more because the brands are imported.
- You must soak your fruits and vegetables in bleach water. This kills anything that could make us sick.
- The seasons in Bolivia are opposite of the United States because Bolivia is in the southern hemisphere. It is still winter here.
- It may be 85 degrees now, but save your air conditioning for summertime when it reaches 100+ degrees. It makes the extra cost on your electricity bill worth it.
- Some taxis will have secure floors in their cars, while others allow you to see the road you are traveling beneath your feet.
- Milk and yogurt come in bags. Eggs are found on an unrefrigerated shelf.
- Little "friends" called geckos will live in your house. They eat small bugs, like ants and spiders.
- Pay close attention to the appliance that you are going to plug in to the wall. Most of the outlets are 220 volts, which will fry any 110 voltage appliance.
- You can put your trash out for pick-up but that does not mean they will come to take it away.
- Driving in Santa Cruz requires great patience and concentration. Three-laned roads can quickly turn into five-lanes.
- The only American restaurants that I have seen are Burger King, Subway, KFC, and Starbucks. The McDonald's did not make it.
- Bolivians do not like big dogs. We have two of them on the compound to help keep out unwelcomed visitors.
- The typical Bolivian work day is split with a long lunch break so families can gather for a large meal.
- Most public schools are in session from 8:00AM - 12:00PM. Our school is from 8:00AM - 3:00PM because we follow an American schedule.
- And the habit that is difficult to break: You may not flush your toilet paper. It has to go into a trash can.
Learning a new lifestyle and adapting to another culture is exciting, yet exhausting. As I was hanging some Bible verses up on my walls around my apartment today, I was reminded of Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." I am so thankful that God is my Rock, and I can rely on Him to provide strength for each day.