Ways I know I am no longer in the States

After talking with many people (local and foreigners) and beginning to experience the culture, here is a list of things that make me go 'huh' now that I am living in another country...

1. If I forget to by peppers, mangos, tomatoes, flowers, books or kites while at the store - I can get them in the middle of the highway where people are standing in the road as car rush past them

2. Anyone caught driving under the influence is given a 25 dollar ticket

3. If there is a death in a car accident (and there are), you need to wait upwards of three hours for a judge to come to verify the death before the road can be cleared and traffic can continue.

4. While I am eating my meal at the mall that I got from the food court, my tico friend says 'I think that lettuce should be okay for you to eat...I think...' after I just finished my last bite.

5. When buying a used car, the price may not be negotiable; however, I can have them switch the door on the car I want to buy with a better door from another vehicle. Also, they will give me the nicer looking rim, a better tire and a newer radio from other cars on their lot.

6. You need to work with a lawyer to buy a used car. However, none of the lawyers you work with have any specific training.

7. Motorcyclists have complete control of the road (including into oncoming traffic) and get VERY upset when they are almost hit

8. If you hit a motorcyclist and they are seriously injured or killed, people would say 'It happened again...' (In Columbia I learned if this happens you have someone meet you at the airport with your passport and you leave the country - it could be worse!)

9. Every time I buy something I have to divide by 1000 and multiply by 2 to figure out how much something costs me in dollars

10. Electricity is so expensive that you either need a propane run dryer or you need to hang your clothes on a clothes line

11. When you hang your clothes on the line during rainy season, they never dry and will mildew and rot

12. Pineapples are about a dollar and bananas are 4 cents each (yum!)

13. I never have to ask myself 'Are U-turns legal at this intersection?' because whether or not they are, it just does not matter. If I think about it too long traffic will pass me on four sides on a two lane road

14. Instead of using a ladder or scaffold to fix a building or a truck, they just use a front loader (seems actually like this would be too expensive with the price of gas)

15. Although rotundas are usually more efficient than street lights, you begin to wonder if that is true when six different roads with three lanes each lead to the same circle hardly big enough to hold 2 lanes of traffic.

16. You need to wash all your fruits and vegitables with BLEACH before eating (at least we can use tap water in most places though)

17. Changing the odometer before you sell a car isn't against the law, its just good business.

I could go on, but there is a small list. Mind you, I'm not down on the country at all - Christy and I are having a good time. However, we are feeling the beginning effects of culture shock - and that will likely increase as we start the learn the language even more.

Please continue to pray that we will find somewhere to live over by the language school sooner than later so we can get settled in. On a positive note, I put a down payment on a vehicle that will be great both for our family and as a means of ministry (it is big enough that we should be able to take some folks with us here and there as the need arises).