If Culture Shock is defined as the traumatic flipping-out of a displaced person in view of all the differences between their current location and where they call "home" - I don't do that. However, I will admit that there are some things I just flat miss and/or dislike . . .
I miss being able to go get coffee 24-7
I miss having a kitchen where I can keep and cook my own delicious gourmet foods
I miss hanging out with my friends at Trinity Brewing Co.
I miss being able to text/call when I am thinking about someone
I dislike time changes and feeling like my friends are sleeping when I am awake
I dislike communicating with my mom mostly over email instead of voice to voice
I dislike that most things here seem to have pork included - which I don't like eating
I miss good Nepali food
I dislike that my room is forever in a state of growing mold
I dislike ants
These things are very minor irritations and make up a few, isolated fragments of frustration. Overall, there are many things I love - I have decided to call this phenomenom Culture Thrill. That is the act of enjoying bits of the culture you are in that are not present at "home".
I like the cadence of African accents
I like the beach
I like the town of Kalk Bay with its eclectic shops
I like the local hang out spots
I like fresh baked goods and the organic shop up the street
I like the artistic flare
I like riding the train to go places
I like the exchange rate
I like praying on the roof of the building I live in
I like having roommates from Venezuela and Uganda
I like laughing at Scrubs with a Swede
I like believing I could go anywhere from here
I like that I don't feel stuck
I like Zimbabweans and Nigerians and South Africans and Argentinians (who make up my class)
I like the surprises of the circular mindset
I like walking to the grocery just to buy lunch, walking back in the rain while eating a cheese and tomato sandwich on crushed wheat and thinking about all the things I like about being here.
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