Here is a list to give you an idea of how different things are here in Colombia. Some things remind of us Canada, some things remind us of the States and some things are purely Colombian. We are thoroughly enjoying figuring out the norms in Colombia and trying to become more Colombian ourselves!
1. Shopping for food is done more on a day-to-day basis rather than week-to-week.
2. You can buy all your food on one spot, but most people buy produce at the produce market, meat at the meat store, ect.
3. Dryers are few and far between. If you have room, you hang your clothes.
4. The houses are not heated. And yes, we live in the mountains and nights and rainy days are normally pretty chilly.
5. The water (in most places) is not heated. Never thought I would be so thankful for electric showers!
6. Curtains are a way of life. Two layers: first sheers so no one can see in the day and then something more solid so people can’t see in at night.
7. Milk comes in a bag and doesn’t need to be refrigerated until you open it.
8. Yogurt and condiments also come in bags. (Yes, we have a giant bag of ketchup. Oh and rotisserie chicken comes in a bag, too)
9. You rarely see eggs sold by the dozen, it’s normally by the 30.
10. Garbage men come every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night. One guys drives the truck and two or three follow behind tossing in all the garbage.
11. Recycle men pull their own carts and come the same days as garbage men, but much earlier in the day.
12. We put our garbage and recycle right on our curb. No garbage can necessary.
13. Street cleaners are literally people sweeping the streets and drains.
14. Many people walk their kids or grandkids to school.
15. Kids wear uniforms to school.
16. Windows on the first and second floors are bared and screens don’t seem to exist here.
17. People driving seem to follow their own rules and what rules they have don’t seem to be enforced.
18. There are two type of cheese here: Mozzarella and farmers cheese (which is a crumbly type of cheese).
19. Babies are often bundled like we live in the arctic.
20. Umbrellas and rain coats are very handy to leave the house with as you never know when it’s going to rain.
21. Church is an all morning and into the afternoon event. We normally arrive home between 1 and 2 pm.
22. Lunch and dinner meals are both served later than in the States. Dinner is normally around 7 or 8 pm.
23. If you have a double stroller people automatically think your kids are twins. I can’t even count how many times we have been asked if our boys were twins!
24. Our main mode of transportation is walking, but we take a taxi or bus if it’s too far to walk.
I think that is all my brain can think of at the moment. There are many other little things that are different, but these are just the major, everyday differences we see. There are fast food chains here from the States and I’m pretty sure I’ve only ever eaten Pizza Hut once or twice in my life, but since moving here, it has become a treat to us. So weird. And I haven’t eaten at Subway for years, thanks to their yoga mat bread, but shortly after I found out I was pregnant all I wanted was Subway. Thankfully my husband is loving and wise and he went and bought all the fixings for making our own subs so we didn’t have to eat yoga mats.
Thank you for taking the time to help us understand the differences and complexities of life over there. Not only does it help me to know how to pray for you guys, but it makes me very thankful of my “easy” life over here as I try to live vicariously through you!! You guys are loved!