R-A-N-D-O-M

This post does not follow any one topic and it’s kinda R-A-N-D-O-M.

I read this on a Peace Corps blog and I totally relate.

“…Sure, it sucks taking cold showers and sleeping with mosquitoes and 100% humidity, and I can't find a decent salad to save my life, and the list continues, you know?  But the real hard part is that I can't just be somewhere... I always have to intentionally be.  I mean watching football with my brother, or drinking beers with friends at home, I don't have to worry about saying ridiculous stuff or even not saying anything at all.  Whatever I do, or do not, at home just adds to the inexhaustible list that is "Sean"... there are infinite references for those people to know "who Sean is".  Here, the list is so short, limited and interrupted that one becomes that moment, that comment or action.  I guess that's really why some people like to just travel around and some people really don't... to continually have or continually avoid those circumstances.  And geez!  All that gets really compounded with cross-cultural miscommunications! …”

Basically, it’s hard sometimes because my identity is still becoming. I have to be very alert, aware of everything I do. I was a bit paranoid when I first got here, but people know me better now so I can kinda-sorta-chill. The thing is- I am a deep-rooted- Westerner. There are just small things that Tongans take great offense to that Westerners don’t even think twice about.


This identity crisis has made me more aware of who I am in Christ. ( I am TOTALLY going into a FULL ON identity crisis post later.) I try to remind myself daily that I am of Christ. It makes it easier when people misunderstand you, when people plain just dont get you, when people want you to change. I remember that I need to learn, respectful and be open-minded of the culture. Even though my every action and every move is analyzed and interpreted differently, I remember that God has accepted me. and that's what counts. I just need to be humble and accept certain facts of life- understand- and just plain-move on. 

CROSS-CULUTURAL MISCOMMUNICATIONS- let me be the first to tell you that translating a joke from English to Tongan is a NO NO. You cant just translate a sentence from English to Tongan thinking they’ll get it. You have to culturally translate too. This throws me off cause I act like a Westerner but speaking Tongan, so it’s a really weird mix and I get mixed reactions. *sigh* It’s just one of those things I am learning and trying to find the right balance. Or maybe just trying to jump from culture to culture as I transition from language to language. Such.a.challenge.

The Peace Corps also said this “It’s the little things folks… the little things that mean the most.” And seriously, it’s the truth.  You never realize how many LITTLE things it takes to make life super easy.

For example-

Dryers- we all have access to a dryer in the States. Not here. Drying your clothes on the hang line is a pain in the butt. It’ll be perfect and sunny day. I say to myself “oh, I’ll go hand wash some of my needs-to-be-handwashed- clothes and hang it up”. It takes a while to dry. The humidity keeps the clothes kind of moist so its weird. The clothes are super close to being fully dry. Then, it gets a bit dark, random clouds show up and *BAM*. Showers. The showers only last for 5min at the most. I’m not kidding. But the after-math is frustrating. The clothes will now have to hang for a couple hours, hoping that another random shower doesn’t show up. Yea, be thankful for SEMI-PREDICATABLE WEATHER.

*note- this only happen s with my clothes that need to hand-washed. All my other clothes go in the dryer. We have the luxury of a dryer.

Running Water. There’s running water here but different kinds of water. “vai tupu”- water from the ground- paid water. “vai meiliei” – rain water. And I guess I could also add “hot water” because warm showers are a luxury. My current residence- I have access to all three. Which is the equivalent of living in Atherton.  This little detail in my American Life, this detail we don’t usually think about it unless we are reminded that there are starving children in Africa, makes a BIG difference here.  .

While I am on the topic of water, I want to just letchall know this funny little thing I do. I’ve been called a freak for doing it. I’ve been called WEIRD for it. And I agree. But it’s definitely logical.

Due to the warm weather, I never experience COLD weather. Duh.  Which means my body will slowly loose it’s ability to adjust quickly to cold weather. That’s why kids here get running noses right after staying outside for a “cool” night. The body doesn’t have to adjust to cold weather and it freaks out when it does. Soooooo to combat this- I take COLD showers. Yes, that’s right. I have the luxurious option of taking WARM/HOT showers- but I take COLD showers. And it’s not even “cold”. It’s like cool water. Plus- who wants to take a warm shower when it’s already warm and humid? …and they call ME the freak. Sheeesh. 

*if the power goes out, you don’t get warm water

*if the power goes out and if the house fully relies on electricity-relying pump, you don’t get water.