Blog Title

I decided on this page name because, being overseas, I feel like I've dug a hole through through world and come out the other side. Because, of course, I am on the other side. It's very different here, but it is amazing how many things are the same and how, after a little while, you feel like you've been here a very very long time. I don't suppose I expected to see people standing on their heads, but I did expect to feel very weird here. I did for the first few days, but now I don't. I can't believe how normal it feels to dodge in between bycicles, buses, taxis, and pedestrians. Hopping on a bus and paying 6 cents is an everyday occurence (except for the annoying instances when it costs 12 cents - what a jip!). The bus map goes everywhere with me and it's now badly in need of tape. I think, though, I will never be comfortable with people's habit of hawking loogies everywhere. It's just not attractive. But, I do like the fact that if you don't like a piece of pork fat you were just served, you can spit it on the floor, even in most restaurants. I will never understand.
Yesterday was my first day shopping at the market all by myself. It was a funny experience. A redhead wearing a basket on her back was definately an amusing site for the locals (I've joined the custom of using a basket backpack to do my shopping). I think I walked in at least four circles around the vegetables section looking for onions. There were so many leafy things that looked like Romaine lettuce that I ended up getting two kinds. There must be quite a few different words for lettuce, cuz the word I used was definately not the right one. Next time, maybe I'll tell you more about how many ways there are to say "noodles."