Culture Shock 2.0

More musings of things that are different:

There is no recycling here!  The grocery stores use thick, plastic bags.  Not many people are using reusable bags.  The Wave does have recycle bins for their residents, though a friend admitted she wonders if it is all just a ruse to make the expats feel better.  She thinks both bins end up in the same place.

Halloween… I knew people wouldn’t celebrate it here, but I didn’t expect people to be against it.  I assumed it would just be a non holiday.  It seems that for some, they have spent their Christian lives avoiding cultural holidays because they celebrate Hindu or other gods.  It makes these people extremely weary of what holidays they celebrate and why and what the origin of the holiday is.  Honestly, not a bad strategy, especially when carefully guiding their children.  It is also really only in America that Halloween is this fun, silly, give kids candy holiday.  I kid you not; I went to a prayer group meeting last month in Halloween workout pants and a Halloween Disney shirt.  They then started discussing how they don’t celebrate Halloween and I was mortified at what I was wearing.  Don’t worry, the conversation wasn’t directed at me or antagonistic, I was just painfully aware that I wore the wrong clothes.

They do have beautiful flowers.  Many people keep small gardens (we don't unless you count our aloe plants that were already planted at our villa).  Seeing flowers while walking around gives me more joy than I expected.  It's probably because they tend to remind me of the flowers you find in Hawaii.

Such interesting, pink petal clusters on this plant.

A slightly different flower with a different petal shape.

A sample of some of the small gardens in front of many villas.

You don’t see police along the road much in the city.  There are camera radar speed traps everywhere, but I just don’t see many police vehicles.  When I saw more between Muscat and Nizwa, I noticed something interesting about when people get pulled over.  The police will either pull in front of or behind the vehicle being pulled over.  I saw both.  I also saw a man who was pulled over jump out of the car immediately to greet the ROP (Royal Omani Police) officer with a handshake.  Can you imagine that happening in the US?  We're taught to stay in the car and roll down your window.  I'd fear that getting out might make a police officer fear a confrontation.

The right hand highway lane between cities really is of worse condition.  Large trucks are not allowed in the left hand lane and they are loaded down.  When you have to drive in the right lane (thanks flat tire and driving home on the spare), you notice just how rough the road is.  So next time someone in the US claims to drive in the left lane because it is smoother think, “Oh, you have no idea.”  Also, if that person is you, get over and make everyone happier.  The left lane is for passing only.  (Getting off my soap box now.)

Taxis will flash their lights and honk at you to ask if you need a ride.  There is no need to wave them down.  They also do drop offs and pick ups along the highways.  There are widened shoulders for this purpose.  These spots are probably also for the buses.

Electricity and water usage is estimated.  Apparently randomly, they will come around and check the actual usage then try to charge you the overage.  There are constant questions and complaints about these exorbitant bills on Facebook.

I can’t believe I haven’t discussed this one:  there is no post delivery!  Please, don’t try to ship us anything.  It’s pointless.  Some small, important things can be sent to Stephen’s office which has a P.O. box, but nothing at our house.  Really, just bring it when you visit us.  

 Oh, and keep in contact.  If you have an iPhone, my old number still works for iMessage.  If you don’t have an iPhone, FB Messenger and WhatsApp are the way to go, especially WhatsApp.  If you want my new, Omani number, message me privately.