I'm embarrassed that the dates show up. I'd like to pretend I just created this blog yesterday. Imagine that along with me, would you?
So, I've been living in Missouri for about three and a half years now. I realize that few in the world would consider the culture here to be much different from my northcentral Ohio roots, but I assure you the differences are a reality.
For one thing, no one makes 90 degree turns here. They veer. Veering, by Ohio drivers' ed standards, is for forks in the road, not for turns.
In the same vein as veering is another southwest Missouri turning anomaly: the lack of turn signal usage. It's so easy, I'd always thought, to alert other drivers that you'll be making a turn/veer. This is especially important if, say, you'll be slowing down before the turn/veer or, say, you'll be coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road for absolutely no reason before making your turn/veer.
Food is different too. People here eat weird things. Like gravy. Before life here, I thought gravy was typically brown, thickened, savorily seasoned beef broth. Not so, I've discovered. The folks here consume a thick, white, hot paste and have the audacity to call it gravy.
All-U-Can-Eat buffets are considered fine dining.
One wouldn't expect a language barrier here, but I'm afraid it's true. I learned what I thought was standard, American English, but it's not exactly what they speak here. In most regions, the word "whenever" is used to imply a recurrent event or action [I become frustrated whenever I lose my keys. ], while "when" suggests a one-time event. Here, however, "when" is typically reserved for questions [When er ya goin varmit huntin? When is the kids comin home from school?], while the word "whenever" is broader [I got these new pots and pans whenever Steven and I got married. Grandma looked really peaceful whenever she died.].
I realize now that it was presumtuous of me to assume that just because "Missouri" ends with an "i," that it necessarily takes the long "e" sound. I've since learned that any word ending in "i" should end with "uh."
Growing up, we went to real cities like Columbus or Cincinnati for a nice dinner or more shopping options. Here, my town of 48,000 is the shopping, entertainment, culinary, and cultural epicenter for four states.
Along those same lines, within a 25 mile radius of where I presently sit, we have seven Wal-Mart super centers. I believe I failed to mention that in southwest Missouri, it's not just my city but rather Wal-Mart specifically that is considered the shopping, entertainment, culinary, and cultural epicenter.
(For my friends with cross cultural backgrounds and those living in another culture now, my sincerest apologies for cheapening your legitimate culture shock experiences.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
funny Ceri. You have ressurected Sarah's skill at finding superiority in minutia. Ha, just kidding (to both of you, if Sarah happens to read this).
The main thing different for me here is the lack of black people, and the traffic: here drivers are more orderly and considerate. Otherwise, I think I've never really experienced culture shock.
And one more thing dammit: All-can-eaet-buffets are fine dining!
what is culture shock, really? is it just caused by a place being completely different than what we are used to? or is it the summation of countless little things? in my experience, it has been the latter. it's the minute, unexpected things which cause shock, not the big ones. the big ones most everybody can deal with easily enough, because they know to expect them. but the others...these are the ones that get under the skin. at first everything will seem wonderful because it is new, and after all, new experiences are at least part of why most people would choose to move beyond their comfort zone. but when the newness begins to wear off, illusions and expectations begin to shatter, and the letdown is most likely anything but beautiful.
i don't claim to be an expert, but i am speaking from 24 years of experiences including moving, traveling, existing between cultures (while trying to live completely in either one or the other), and trying to fit in with people who don't understand why i'm so different when i look like i shouldn't be. while my personality is not prone to be very flexible, the path God set my feet upon has molded me to become much more accepting of things which are different. even so, it is not always easy, but now i can identify and deal with culture shock much easier and in a lot less time.
and solomon, i would love to chat with you on this same subject after you've been in China for a few months. not that i'm saying that you have no idea what you are talking about (although perhaps i am somewhat. however, for not having traveled, you are impressively broad-minded. then again, broadmindedness is not a replacement for experience, but neither is experience a replacement for broadmindedness. catch-22, i suppose), but i wonder how much your perspective might change with a little experience.
This is for Solomon. You've never been outside of the Arkansas/SW Missouri area... of course you haven't experienced culture shock!
Although I do need to qualify that I identify with your at-a-loss feeling from the lack of black people in the area, although mine is more from the overwhelming lack of Mexicans. I'm truly at a loss!
As to the traffic, I find that SW Missourians are incredibly polite, they at least yield at stop signs.
Daneila-have you ever been to carthage? theres not a lack there.
Anonymous, whoever you might be, as a matter of fact I have been to Carthage, have you? Even more importantly, have you ever asked one of the "Mexicans" in Carthage where they are from? Most of the time their answer will be, "from Guatemala." I'm sorry to inform you, Guatemala is not in Mexico (you might need to consult your atlas).
Also, when I say, "overwhelming lack of Mexicans," I'm more likely referring to the alarming ammount of caucasians in the area. I've never known a place to have so many white people. :)
Post a Comment