Culture Shock, Abundance, and Choices

Now that we have been back in the States for a couple of weeks, I want to share some of my reactions and feelings.

The culture shock started as early as in the airport in Dar es Salaam, when I saw the KLM flight crew stride through the waiting passengers to the plane.  They were so tall, and so blonde!  It continued at our layover in Amsterdam, as we strolled past the many shops and restaurants.  Western toilets!  Cheese!  Chocolate!  Starbucks!

Once home, literally in the arms of our family, I was simply grateful for a while--grateful for their love and support and grateful that our young grandchildren remembered us.  And, as days went by, I appreciated the comforts this country has to offer:  clean water from a tap, hot water on demand, good roads, reliable electricity, refrigerators, a variety of foods and flavors, and people who wait politely in lines for service, instead of pushing ahead of others when they can.

But, I find other aspects of life here disturbing.  The quantity of skin exposed to view is startling.  In small-town Tanzania, people do not routinely expose shoulders, bosoms, or legs above the knee. The rate of obesity in the U.S., even among children, is truly horrifying.  Certainly there are fat people in Tanzania, but for the most part they are only the few who are wealthy enough to eat Western high-fat, high-protein diets, own cars, and hire enough household help so that they get little exercise. 

The abundance in this country is overwhelming.  So many choices:  scores of different types of bread, meats, seafood, cereals, and even pickles!  I wandered into a big-box bookstore a few days ago, and was struck dumb by the thousands of books, particularly the children's books.  So many products that it is difficult to make a purchasing decision.  And, I find that we are more frugal than before we left.  Prices seem high, whether or not they are in fact higher than they were two years ago. 

So far, we have made some purchases, large and small.  Groceries.  Phones.  A car.  Now, we are looking for a house to buy, having sold ours before joining the Peace Corps. Will the Peace Corps experience affect that purchase, or will we fall back into old habits and expectations?  At minimum, we now know the difference between "needs" and "wants", and can prioritize them.  Need:  a functional kitchen.  Want:  granite countertops.  Priority:  depends on whether you ask Carol or Mark.