1. Haitians like Celine Dion. This is why I know how to play "My Heart Will Go On" on my uke.
2. Water trucks play music. It reminds me of ice cream trucks when I was a kid.
3. There are motorcycles, literally everywhere.
4. Most people speak Creole, but they also know French if they went to school. Sometime richer people are very condescending and refuse to speak Creole.
5. People eat rice and beans everyday.
6. There are hardly ever paved roads.
7. Even though it's something crazy like 98% deforested, there are still palm trees everywhere.
8. People generally say hello to teach other when walking down the street, even though the streets are always filled with people.
9. It's sunny and humid. Always.
10. EDH - city power - is on whenever they decide for it to be on, which could mean half the day or it could mean 20 minutes a day. Wait and find out!
11. People don't say "swim" in the ocean. Instead "bathe" in the ocean, which makes sense because many people will actually bring soap and even shampoo to the beach!
12. People don't say they need to use the toilet or go to the bathroom but literally translated - Pee is holding me.
13. People build their houses one step at time, when they have the money. So unfinished houses are everywhere.
14. Most people go to church. Whether or not most people know Jesus is questionable.
15. They think only crazy people have afros.
16. There are random dogs on the street, and I hate them.
17. I've never gotten sick off of anything on the street, though I believe I have been sick from (I think) washing my dishes/brushing my teeth in the water.
18. People hate drinks that aren't cold. Maybe I'm the weird one, but I'd much rather have room temperature water than nothing!
19. Most people own a nice set of glasses/plates, even if they basically live in a shack.
20. If you live with someone, you share everything.
I've been thinking lately that I'm so used to Haiti, that it's harder for me to recall any differences. So I imagine going back to the states won't be shocking at all, but the truth is that I've probably forgotten a lot of things! I hope I'm not in for a rude episode of reverse culture-shock!
That's all for now, and enjoy my 10 straight days of blogging!
#12 is hilarious. #14 sounds like Scott County. And probably lots of other places in the US. But specifically where I grew up.
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