Here's Your Sign

Most days I feel like I need a sign - no not the Stupid Sign (does anyone outside the south know about these?) but more of a -

Actually Considered a Competent Member of Society in the US of A

An American that has been here for 5 years explained the other week that the most frustrating part of moving here was the feeling of incompetence that comes from being in another country. She nailed my feelings exactly, because we obviously speak the same language there really isn't an understanding that we might not quite know their culture or be comfortable with the everyday differences. I feel like telling people I was actually quite on the ball, just not apparently not here....

Here are a few experiences from just last week -

I informed a woman at church that I did not own a laminator and earned a look of complete scorn, after asking another nicer looking woman...everyone has them here and I was told I should purchase one (um, no)

Stood paying for my groceries and in a moment of forgetfulness didn't pack up my purchases...until again I was given a look of surprise since I was holding up the line from the checkout lady. Here you pack up all of your groceries while the clerk sits in a comfy chair and barely counts out the money for you. The customer service view is a bit different here, it is typically very hard to find someone to help in stores unless it is a boutique.

There is no understanding of where lines are or "queues" but if you guess wrong, and happen to be in a different aisle, rest assured that the college age boy will RUN in front of you and your baby and again give you a look of utter distaste. This is not the first time.

I was in charge of a church dinner for the woman of our congregation, Jamie was out of town, Hadley had pink eye and I don't know any babysitters in my town or know anyone in different wards, obviously all the women I knew were attending so I packed her up in the ergo and hauled her around. I did all of my assignments and just took Hadley along for the ride...for my efforts I was rewarded with a comment of disappointment from the group in charge and a question of if Jamie could have planned his trip better. In the states Jamie rarely traveled and I had a support system, I didn't know what to tell her and ended up apologizing for something I could not control.

Again for another activity they wanted specific candy eggs, I told them if they gave me the name I could pick them up at my local store. She told me they were in a specific part of town and I told her I wasn't comfortable driving in that busy part of town (sometime the rules of areas are just "understood" because everyone grew up there, I do much better on the less populated country roads) but could pick up different easter candies I had seen. This again earned me a huge sigh and a grumbled...well, I can do it.... I did not love to drive in the states but never would have turned down something because I couldn't get there! Speaking of candy eggs I should add that the Cadbury Creme Eggs here are amazing - sooo much better!!

This wasn't meant to be a complaint list (well, maybe it was), just a taste of how culture can be a bit different and hard to fit in. This doesnt even cover the different words, sentence structure and culture references that you spend half your time trying to translate! I keep meaning to do posts about what it is like living here, I just never get around to it but I want to be able to remember. There are some great things, not so great things and we are learning a ton. I think I will have to do a positive pastry post to offset this negative one though!