Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Musings of a Girl who Lives in SE Asia

  • Today I got asked if I was from China or Holland. Like those were the only 2 options given. Do I look either Chinese or Dutch?!
  • Today I once again got asked if I wanted to marry someone (this time, a guy in the public transportation vehicle)
  • Today I told a friend a story of how not eco-friendly we are here (aka how much plastic is used). She told me to blog about it, so here goes: The other day I bought face wash at the store. Now apparently face wash is a valuable item here because it's practically locked up like cigarettes and alcohol are in the states. So, you tell the lady standing by the face wash that you want it, she takes it, writes a receipt (note use of paper) and gives the receipt to you which you then take up to the cashier and pay with the rest of your groceries. You then take the stamped receipt to the information desk where they have already placed your face wash in cellophane, which perfectly fits the container of face wash. You had them the receipt, and they place the cellophaned face wash in yet another plastic bag, also the same size as the face wash. You then place this doubly-plasticked face wash in your larger plastic grocery bag that you already have full of groceries, resulting in triple protection--cuz you never know what could happen to face wash!
  • Today I spent 2 hours at the travel agent buying plane tickets because the 10 people that called while I was arranging my tickets got their tickets booked first while I waited to continue being helped.
  • Today I enjoyed boba...oh how I love it!
  • Today I got to hang out with some junior high kids and help them with English :)
  • Today my roommate told me that a cockroach was sitting in her retainer case. Can we say DISGUSTING?!
  • Today I found a gecko in a dirty mixing bowl in the sink. It looked dead and didn't move when I moved the bowl, but when I came back later, it was gone. The mystery of the missing cicak.
  • Today I walked with an umbrella in the sun cuz I'm told that's what you do here. Why was I the only one doing that?
  • Today I mused about the fact that every time I feel a tickle on my skin, I automatically assume it's an ant, not a piece of hair or anything else, an ant. Maybe cuz that's this happens oh 20x a day. My roommate and I wondered the other day how long it'll take us when we move back to the states to NOT think that that tickle is an ant.
  • Today I'm grateful to be here and be able to laugh at all the above things :)

2 comments:

  1. hello humorous stage of culture shock!

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  2. Thanks for the great laughs tonight! You need to write a book!

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