Up to this point, most of my blogs have been about the crazy thoughts that wax philosophical running through my mind. For those of you who have persevered through reading them anyway, I thank you for indulging me as a friend. I really haven’t created a space on this blog for sharing cultural experiences, travel stories, weird food encounters, living conditions, sightseeing, packing tips, and etc. The list goes on of things that you might have expected to be on this blog, but have been disappointed to see that I’ve left out. If you’re in this boat after reading my blog, this one’s for you. Needless to say, I’ve come in contact with a wide variety of histories, traditions, and practices this year. The following are some cultural highlights I’ve personally experienced from the countries on my route so far, from Zambia to Thailand:
Zambia
-Rice is to Asians as “nshima” (finely ground corn meal) is to Africans.
-Buses don’t leave until they’re packed full with people. And by packed full, we mean packed FULL.
-Gas stations are places on the side of the road where people pop out of the corn fields with gallons of gasoline and a hose.
– Window shopping takes place on buses. Literally, people shove food through the windows to you with sticks, and you hand your money out the window to them.
-Intense preaching takes place on many buses at the beginning of a long trip. The preacher will then ask for an offering. Usually out of superstition, people give.
-Loud, African gospel karaoke is always played on long bus rides.
-The currency is the “kwacha”, and it costs two kwacha to use the bathroom when you’re spending the night at the inter-city bus station.
Malawi
-An entire village shuts down for a funeral.
-Church is an all-day affair, and there is no band. There are hands and voices.
-If you are a “mzungu” (white foreigner), expect to sing and/or preach when you visit a church for the first time.
-A proper missionary lady is expected to wear a “chitenge” (African version of a sarong) that covers her legs. A “chitenge” also makes an excellent head cushion for carrying water. Just don’t spill too much water, because you might get dyed blue.
-People like to sweep their yards even if its dirt. They like to make the dirt look nicer.
-Hitchhiking for a flatbed truck is the way to travel, especially with a squad of approximately 40 people. There is always room to stand.
-Breastfeeding in Africa. Whenever, wherever.
-The currency here is also known as the “kwacha”, but it is definitely different from the Zambian “kwacha”. Also, the highest number bill is the 1000 kwacha bill, which is an equivalent of around $2.40. You lug stacks and stacks of this stuff to pay your bills.
Estonia
-Soup is a staple food (onions, peas, pork). My Estonian friend, Alan, shed some light on why this is the case by explaining Estonia’s long history of slavery and the necessity of producing food that was as simple and nutritious as possible. Dill and sour cream are almost always available to add to your dish, and juniper berries are a common seasoning in food.
-People really love their saunas. You sit in it naked until it’s absolutely hot and unbearable. Then you jump into an ice hole carved into a lake. Afterwards, you crawl out, run back into the sauna and repeat the process.
-The men here really go all out for International Women’s Day. Expect gifts (chocolates, roses, daisies, and even yellow melons).
-Superstitious people of an older generation with a Russian background will tell you not to whistle indoors, or your house will burn down.
-There is definitely a medieval flair in old town Tallinn, which is really pretty cool. You can go to a dark tavern, drink some elk soup, and fish for your own pickle.
-LUX buses are the fancy way to travel. Hot chocolate and tea all the way!
-The currency is the “euro”, the currency for most countries in the European Union.
Latvia
-People will sometimes leave their babies outside of stores in their strollers. It’s safe, and people will come by, rock the stroller back and forth, and leave.
-Latvians love ice hockey.
-“Name days” are celebrated, and they’re pretty much like birthdays. So you get two birthday-like celebrations in a year.
-Choral singing is huge, and tens of thousands of people will gather to sing in a group.
-A fermented milk drink, “kefir”, can be enjoyed with breakfast and lunch.
China
-Babies wear split pants instead of diapers. They’re basically bottomless pants that are split open in the middle. I’m thinking it probably speeds up the potty training process, but I’ve also seen children poop in a bag, and little baby boys peeing in water bottles. Because hey…no diaper.
-There are no lines, just mobs. Whoever puts their money down through the window first gets to pay first.
-Every time you get on the subway in Beijing, your bags have to go through an X-ray security machine.
-Carry toilet paper everywhere. This is true for every country from here on out.
-Smoking. Spitting. Embrace it, or you get out of the way.
-If a man gives you a cigarette, it is a friendly gesture. To refuse it would be rude. Take it and smoke, or put it behind your ear “for later”.
-The currency is the “RMB” or commonly known as the “kuai” or the “yuan”.
Mongolia
– Ulaanbaatar, the capitol of Mongolia, I believe should also be the Korean KTV capital of the world. They are everywhere.
-“Boortsog” (fried dough) and “tsai” (salty milk tea) are food staples in the countryside pretty much available every meal, every day.
-People love “airag”, fermented horse milk. You will get served as a guest of honor, and you shall drink.
-The Naadam festival takes place in July, and is a competition in archery, horseback riding, and wrestling.
-When you walk into a traditional Mongolian home (known as a “ger”), you should walk towards the left. To walk straight through or to the right is considered highly disrespectful.
-You are expected to share your food if you eat in front of other people. Even if it’s a piece of candy, not dividing it into pieces for however many people are in the group, would be incredibly rude.
-The currency is the “tugrik”.
Thailand
-The head is the most sacred part of your body. It is rude to pat people on their heads; even children if you don’t know them very well.
-The feet are the least sacred, and revealing the soles of your feet or pointing them towards people is very rude.
-Rice porridge is a staple breakfast food. Fried chicken is also available as a part of your morning diet.
-The Thai greeting is known as the “wai”, where you put your hands together, bow to a level appropriate for the person you are greeting, and say “sawasdee kha” if you are female and “sawasdee krap” if male.
-When asked about the King of Thailand, the correct response is “The King is a very good man.”
-The currency is the “baht”.
Be on the lookout for the last installment of these cultural facts, featuring my final three countries, Cambodia, Vietnam and Nepal!
