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Back as a New Zealand Resident
Entry 23 of 23 | show all | print this entry |
Well, I arrived back in Wellington Saturday afternoon, March 24th. Let me say "culture shock" is a real thing. It is sometimes hard to express or explain, but it is real. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it does make you feel a little off balance. For example, the first night back I went out to a friend's birthday party and in midst of conversation I realised I was not articulating very well. Yes, I was jet-lagged after flying 7 hours from Dubai to Singapore and adventuring around Singapore and the fancy airport lounges for 12 hours, but nonetheless, I wasn't very articulate. Then, I was out researching a cell phone plan and at the grocery store it almost felt surreal. Now, this isn't to say that there are not cell phones or grocery stores in any of the places I have been, but there is something different being back...... Then, I realised, wow, this is first time I have blended in to a crowd in months and all the enhanced level of awareness that you must carry with you while travelling isn't really necesssary now.Something you so quickly must adapt to is being somewhat of a center of attention in certain foreign lands such as India, where many places rarely have tourists. This brings both good and bad, but it is really a different feeling to be back.
Culture Shock
Here are some recently back in New Zealand thoughts that have popped in my head that made me almost laugh out loud... for example:
Restroom - "Wow, there is toilet paper!" Yeah, guess I can take that extra heap of it I usually carried (except in Oman where I should have!) out of my pocket.
Shower - "Wow, I can stand up straight in the shower and use more than a few liters!" A little different than showering on a rocking boat - even if just "slight to moderate seas"
Kitchen - "My own kitchen but I forget how to cook almost!" - having been in hotels, hostels and on the boat only cooking a few times, nice to back in even my modest little kitchen
TV - "Why am I staring at this black box?" Seriously, I had no TV for gosh, over 2 months and didn't miss it a bit, but I am back in my flat and I stare at the darn thing. Ugh, I don't think it is a good thing, so I placed it to be right at my front window so if I look at it during day, the outdoors will call me instead.
Laundry - "Oh, sweet little clothes out of my backpack, I am sure you are shocked by all this soap and rinsing, but it will be okay." - Most of my stuff had not had a real, real washing except my hand washing for months!
Feet - "I broke it!" - Walking into town for the first time I soon realised.... Yep, I broke my toe about oh, 2.5 weeks ago when I smashed it on a winch on the boat (how one does that I know not, but I managed to whack my second toe in on a big metal piece on the boat that should innocently hold ropes, but it must have jumped out at me...)
Roads - "What is that sound?" - Ah, yes, surprisingly enough when I was walking along Oriental Bay yesterday my head was feeling it was hearing a new sound. I realised it was the cars whizzing by and that I had been away from that sound on the boat for almost a month. And, in India, the mopeds and autorickshaws (and a smaller number of autos) make a different rumbling sound!
Socialising - "Sorry, my head is still in a different space from some recent travels." - Ah, yes, as if I wasn't whacky enough to begin with...I now am officially whackier! Last night I went to my first American New Zealand Association social thing - drinks at a bar - and met some nice people. However, mid sentence I realised again I was firing slow in this "western developed" environment and had to apologise. I don't think the guy I was talking to would have noticed, but man.... odd readjusting.
Last, but not least, general pressure of this modern life - "Where is my to do list?, Do I look okay?, Are my jeans too tight?, Where should I work?, Who should I re-connect with?" and the questions go on. Questions, I haven't thought about for months. I mean, I really don't think I honestly brushed my hair more than two or three times in the last 3 months... don't worry it wasn't knots, just "bohemian chic" I like to say :)
Expanding the Comfort Zone
I supposed on the boat I did spend time thinking about my life goals and next career stuff a bit, but this is now reality and although it is grand and I am thankful for it, readjustment to it after expanding and exploring my mind on a daily basis... well, it is hard. That is it though... I spent the last 100 days or so expanding my comfort zone every day - whether it was just to Samoa to find my little $10 fale on a beach, or Ireland to find my way to Belfast and decipher the accents of my friends once again, to Germany for two days to feel like an alien with a backpack in a fancy Frankfurt banking city, to India where every moment and every glimpse of the day was absolutely filled to the brim with new sights, sounds, smells, thoughts and sensations.... then off to Maldives where I met beautiful people but then switched gears to take on a somewhat scary new adventure - sailing across the Arabian Sea. My head was pushed to expand (as you will read in that entry) so much and then it was rewarded with the calm of the ocean waves that looked as though diamonds had been cut into them in the sun... I fell in love with the dolphins that played at the bow when we were literally hundreds of miles from shore and part of me thinks deep down I might pass that pod again, and my head was forever morphed even more by the sense solace that I felt every morning as the sun rose during my 5 -9am watch on Intrepid.
My head was still expanding on the other side of the Arabian, my eyes were forced open by a part of the world I usually only knew of via the U.S. "news" (I put news in parenthesis because lots of it like Fox and CNN even are far from news versus a platform for an administration that is increasing censorship. A friend told me about the new Al Jazeera that is finally allowed in the US and I am looking forward to reviewing). Here I was in Oman that was a country off the tourist path (intentionally by the Sultan who appears to have worked hard to find a good balance between economic development and keeping a traditional life preserved without massive western influence and it should be noted was awarded for some environmental efforts and is seen as one of few stable countries in region and therefore very key to support/mentor/engage). Oman, although a brief 3 day visit to this desert land boarding the sea, it expanded my head through my overnight bus experience where I was the only tourist (likely only one on their in the last year!) with a front bus full of fully veiled women in black with only their eyes showing and the back full of Omani men. It was a 17 hour bus ride inland from Salalah, over the mountainous desert, through the desert, across the U.A.E. border arriving to Dubai at 7am. Do note that Oman is not short on cash, and these buses of the Gulf Transport company were flash Mercedes and very comfortable - a bit of the antithesis to my Indian bus experiences!
Middle East "Awakening"
Interestingly enough, there was as strong "middle eastern" theme through my entire trip. In India, I read the papers and they have a close watch on/relationship with their neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the others so the news has a lot on the region. I also made a friend who is from Bangladesh, a US resident and currently working in Afghanistan. We had a number of conversations about the unfortunate wars, occupations in that region and to hear of experiences first hand of the reality and insanity in Afghanistan, the conditions of the Palestinian people, the way an "arab"man is treated in the US was, to say the least an eye-opener. Although I have never intended to have a homogeneous group of friends, Indiana and even Colorado I didn't meet many Muslims so have never had a friend of that background. Then, I met a great girl who is Egyptian, raised in England, who gives tours through the middle east (Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, etc..) and has been to both Israel and Palestine numerous times each. She has read a ton, she is articulate, she is my age and I am sure she will be a future reporter on the region. We shared a room for a few days and I learned so much. Then, of course, being in Maldives and chatting with such beautiful people (all Muslim).
Oman
In the south of Oman (where we arrived by boat), I had my first experience meeting "women of the veil". on my overnight bus trip to Dubai. They were guarded at first and I sat alone at the first stop, and quickly learned the men and women enter separate areas of the restaurant, but by the third restaurant stop, some of the women waved me into their dining room (in Oman, you don't get a menu, you just go sit in a room and because no foreign tourists, everyone knows what they want already - I think). The women were so sweet, they took off the face portion of their veil and were all smiles. Whew, I must admit it was intimidating to not see the facial expressions. Ends up, they are a group of siblings/sisters and their Mom off on a shopping trip to Dubai. Shopping, ha! How great as I have heard the women get all dolled up under the black burkas and I had noticed some fancy purses. I just though it was so cute. One of the girls was about 20, in nursing school, and knew some English. She said I was the first American they had met and we all giggled. It was really a great experience to share food, conversation and smiles with this group of women who are so "mysterious" to us Westerners. But, really, people are people. I don't know the details as I haven't conducted a survey of whether the women love or hate the burka, but my friends, they seemed happy as can be, and honestly, I think as long as they are given a choice, it is not our business. I just seem to recall Mr. Bush's reference to all of the oppressed women who are veiled, but I feel that is a gross generalization. In some countries, I think they don't have a choice, but in others, I think they choose to continue the traditional style of dress and prefer modesty. Honestly, looking around at the half naked pre-teens here (and gawking older men) makes me wonder why we think we have everything figured out. And, the fact that a man ALWAYS gives a woman his seat and a woman is allowed to load on bus first and in the front I thought was greater respect than I see at home where an elderly woman could wait for anyone to offer a seat. Unfortunately, it was really hard to remember who was who by only seeing their eyes, so I didn't see them again until we unloaded in Dubai.
Iraq
Another awakening as part of this theme, was somewhat as clear as day to me.At 4am, we arrived at the Oman and United Arab Emirates border. Our passports were handed over at a first gate, the bus parked and waited. The passports came back to the bus and I thought we were done. Nope, a second check. This time, they called me off the bus. So, I am walking into the U.A.E. Immigration and ask the other man who was called in, where he is from. With a sweet smile he says "Iraq". He was smiling because he already knew where I was from, but he asked and I said "America". We laughed a little at the irony, then chatted briefly as we waited to get our iris scan done - whacky experience makes you feel like you are guilty of something. Ends up, he still lives in Baghdad and was coming to see his family who had left Iraq and moved to Oman when the US came to "liberate"/"occupy"/"secure oil revenues" whatever you want to add there. So, he has a computer business in Oman as well as Iraq. Anyways, I asked how it was there and he said "very difficult". I almost had tears in my eyes thinking about my stupid tax money going to create havoc for so many. We chatted more and I, as I do, apologised on behalf of the American people/government/limited democracy for what was happening. I seriously have been amazed at how forgiving people of these countries have be when I think, they do have good reason to say "Ugh, you are American, take your policies...x, y, z", but no, he was genuinely kind. When we arrived in Dubai, he helped me find a taxi, gave me his card, and bid adieu.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai, although a somewhat sad to see westernized template with zillions of malls, fast food, and fancy buildings was fascinating for its melting pot affect. In two days, I chatted with a woman from Pakistan whose whole family lives in US so we swapped emails, a Filipino girl who told me cost of living is stifling in Dubai but she is trying to blend in and work like a westerner to make money, a beautiful Iranian guy who worked at a spice shop and I swear his icy blue eyes could pierce through you!, and a nice girl from Sudan. It really was an eye-opening few days.
Summary
I have been trying to synthesize what the biggest lessons have been for me on this journey. I had a LOT of time to think and here are my tidbits:
1. People are people no matter where you go - we all want the same thing... to connect, to love, to be heard, to be cared for (food, water, shelter). The 80's song "People are people so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully. ..Its obvious you hate me though I've done nothing wrong...I can't understand... what, makes a man hate another man, help me understand... " kept popping in my head.
2. A smile and a wave are universal as the language for connecting - I love it! Whether the Sri Lankan fishing boats 600 miles off shore, the frail Indian woman on the side of the road, the adorable Indian child playing peek-a-boo with you on a bus, it is the same language.
3. The US must urgently fix its Middle East policies. I recently read two great articles - an op-ed in the Oman Times by the head of the American Arab Institute and "The Jewish - American Lobby" article in the March 25th Economist. Basically, these articles just were blunt saying it has been taboo for years, out of fear of anti-semitic to ask the hard questions about the US relationship with Israel and the $56 million lobby within the US, but now is the time. Reviewing our policies does not mean anti-Semites at all. And, I saw the Doha Debate on TV you should checkout on line which was a wonderful monthly forum on the issue. In addition, I just put "Conquest of the Middle East" on hold at the library as my friend, the amazing one who gives tours there, said it was the best starting point to truly begin an effort at understanding the situation. A huge book, but worth it I reckon and feel obligated to become more educated on the issue, seeing the US funds Israels military, I want to know a bit more about this, eh?
4. Asia is a future global force. - there is amazing growth everywhere in India, the GDP shot up 15% last year, 1 out of 3 families has a member in tech field overseas and very hard working.Every business story is about growth. I don't think there is a debate whether India will be a future global force, but will it be a leader? The poverty and environmental issues are profound, but the future could be so bright with solid leadership, mentoring, etc...
5. So many aren't allowed to visit the US - I had many conversations with new friends who so wanted to visit US but are legally not allowed which I just sat there thinking how sad, he just wants to see his friend or family... God, I have it so easy because of where I was born
6. Think Globally, Act Locally - I realised, in an obvious epiphany to many, that connecting with cultures doesn't have to be a plane ride, it can be in your own community. Throughout the US, and every western country, there are millions of new families from abroad as refugees, asylees as well as those who have lived, with their Indian, Iraqi, etc.. culture for 50 years or more in the US and they have much to teach us. Volunteer to help a family adjust or just go to the upcoming cultural event or just start chatting to someone you may normally have passed.
If you made it this far, you win a medal or I owe you a check or something for your time! I likely will be switching back to www.LanahLink.com for my normal ramblings as this is just for my travel adventures.
Ah, I do have a rambling habit (note, not gambling though). I am sitting here in Welly getting ready to send some resumes, upload some pictures and send an email out to everyone.
Thanks for joining me on this journey (or at least the aftermath for those who just found this link!) and be in touch :)
Peace and love, Lanah
Latest Comments (2)
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maldives help! (reply)
Oct 19, 2007 14:37 EST by elinka
Hey Lanah,
I just spent like 2 hours reading your blogs, you would be my dream travel buddy. I have traveled a lot too, mostly central America and Europe. I don't have enough patience to document as well as you do though, too bad! Anyways I am a girl, 27, just wanted to let you know in case you are afraid I am like those guys in India hitting on you. This must be wierd cause we totally do... show all
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Hello from Idaho (reply)
Apr 2, 2007 19:51 EST by jillgiese
Hi Lanah,
Thanks for keeping me up-to-date on your recent travels. I returned a month ago from a trip to Thailand. If you want to check it out, I'm a travelpod member and my blog is under jillgiese. :)
Jill (from Morocco trip 2000)
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