I realize culture shock can be felt in different ways, but I think I’ve gotten my first real dose of it here in Prague. I know what you’re thinking. “Prague?? After Asia and Africa’s experience, you feel it in Prague??” Yes; yes I do.
Since the beginning of the Race, I knew that reverse culture shock was going to be the hardest for me. While Romania kind of got my feet wet with being around things that were normal to life back in the States, Prague definitely has brought us completely back into the Western World; and I think I’ve been hit with what I thought would be hitting me on arriving back in the States.
First; culture shock in the grocery store. It’s not a horrible experience… just difficult. We’re also still living on a world race budget, so it’s like we’re surrounded with things we would normally be able to do or buy or experience, but we are still living very frugally.
Don’t worry; we’re not starving or anything. It’s mostly things like standing in the grocery store and trying to figure out which type of milk to buy. They have milk here! And it’s homogenized and pasteurized, and there’s like 12 choices.
So, I stare at them for a long time, trying to decide how much I really need right now, what’s the cheapest, what percentage I think I might want, and then go for the grab.
Then, I stop to realize if anyone else wanted milk, we might save a few cents. So, I go ask every other world racer in the store… who’s also deep in concentration staring at their box or jar of their favorite delights, and see if anyone else is contemplating milk.
If I spend 10 cents less on milk, that’s 10 cents more I have for cereal, sandwich meat, etc. It’s totally doable, but it just really takes a long time!
Yes, this is my brain right now. I hope and imagine it will get better.
It’s crazy, really. After living on 3 dollars a day, you just can’t hardly adapt to purchasing things at western world prices!
Then, there’s culture shock on the streets. Prague is a double hit: beautiful, culturally rich as well as all the modern day fun things you could think of to do.
I like to have fun as much as the next person, but all of a sudden there’s all these things thrown in our face that we haven’t seen or dealt with in 10 months. Some of them aren’t necessarily bad in themselves, it’s just we’re now faced with a choice: do we entertain ourselves with the things of this world; or do we choose to just enjoy the community around us?
Are we choosing to love one another by enjoying things together, or are we choosing to do our own thing and go our own ways? It’s really easy to hide our loneliness in busying ourselves.
Since we’ve been here in Prague, it’s been a fight to choose to spend time with our whole team together. In Africa, we had no choice but to enjoy each other: we were all we had!
Here in Prague, though, there are a million things to do and see, and we have to really choose to check in with one another and see how we’re doing on a personal and spiritual level.
While our time together with the IHOPP Ministry has been AMAZING, the second it’s ‘free time’ we’re all aching to get out and see the town! It’s so easy to overlook each other, to give up time as a whole family to split up and go do our separate things.
It’s not bad; it’s just so easy to miss out on the joys of community when there are so many things to fill our time with. I’m realizing more and more that living in real community, putting my own desires aside to share in someone else’s joys, is just worth it. People are worth it.
Doing this life without community is just pointless. I’ve failed at this several times this month. But, I’ve seen the joy and the fruit of when I walk it out, as well. These are the simple things I’m realizing are going to be the hardest when I’m home, too.
I’ve always been a very independent woman. “All you women, independent… throw yo hands up at me…” ya. That used to be one of my many proud theme songs.
Now: not so much. I’ve realized that I don’t want to be independent; it’s LONELY! I think it takes more courage and strength to put your heart on the table for someone else than to walk through life with walls up around your heart. God’s reminded me more and more, “I’m holding your heart, so you don’t have to worry. Heartbreak and heartache will come, but it’s worth it. I’m holding your heart, just keep holding mine and treasuring mine.”
We were created to be in covenant with a community; with a family.
I want to be willing to put my own desires aside for others. It’s easier said than done, but I’m gonna fight for it. I want to be surrounded by people that I can love and that will love me, that want to do this life TOGETHER. It’s so simple, really.
I had/have that in the states too, it’s just I’m realizing that there can be such a higher depth of relationship that I want to dig into with my friends and family, and I want to fight for that when I’m home. With our jobs, activities, and schedules, it’s really going to be a fight. But, it’s a fight worth fighting.
