To keep my tradition of sharing things from each continent, I have compiled some things from Eastern Europe that differ from America. These were harder to find, as Europe is fairly similar to the States. But here it is…
Lessons from Eastern Europe:
– Rumor has it- if you walk barefoot, or sit on a cold floor as a woman, your eggs will freeze. (R)
-Tea is a cure-all and will also be a substitute for your coffee addiction. (M)
-Gypsy women will push you down and try to steal your money on the bus. They will not discriminate if you are a man. (R)
-Horse carriages are a great alternative to cars. (R&M)
-Many kids are abused, come from alcoholic homes, and are neglected. All they want is love. (R&M)
-Goats and cows walk themselves home at 4pm everyday after grazing. (M)
-Finishing the outside of buildings is unnecessary as long as the inside is beautiful. Don’t judge a building by it’s exterior. (R&M)
-Dogs are rarely friendly. They are usually used as guard dogs and many are chained. Don’t not walk/run by them too quickly. (R&M)
-Teenagers will mock you on the bus. (R)
-They treat dogs like dogs rather than like people like we do in America. (R&M)
-A normal conversation in Romanian sounds like a yelling match. (R&M)
-You will be told by a complete stranger on the public bus that he loves you. (R)
-Food groups consist of carbs, carbs, carbs, and soup. (R&M)
-Maxi Taxi drivers will not stop when you ask them to. This will result in you having to call your contact to talk to him as he drives further from your stop. He will then let you out and drive off quickly as you’re left to walk 1.5miles back to your bus stop to get to your ministry site. (R)
-Donuts are an acceptable dinner choice. (R&M)
-If you are not dressed like them, you will get some interesting looks. Euro-chic fashion is a must. (R&M)
-When in doubt, have your team try every language they know (5 in total) to talk to the random man who picked you up in a van. He may not speak a single one of those languages, but it will at least result in laughter. (M)
