While biking to the turtle hatchery on Sunday, the roar of a motorcycle whizzing by startled me from the hypnotizing whir of the pedals pulling the chain of my bicycle. I had a fleeting panic attack because I couldn't remember what side of the road I was supposed to ride on. I was riding behind my husband so I figured I must be OK.
Then I thought about how normal it felt to be riding on the left shoulder.
Then I was trying to imagine myself riding on the right shoulder, and I couldn't remember what it felt like. The left side now felt "normal". I couldn't remember riding on the right side of the road.
Then I started thinking about the human ability to adapt and what I've adapted to in just over three weeks here in Malaysia.
Here are some of my adaptations:
1)Flies covering food and tables at outdoor restaurants. Before: seeing the flies would prompt discussions about sanitation and e-coli. Now: seeing the colorful, spicy, delicious looking food makes my taste buds water while only briefly wondering if red hot chili peppers kill bacteria.
2) Dishing washing with buckets and hoses behind restaurants. Before: I didn't want to think about it or see it. Now: I hope they use bleach but don't give it too much thought.
3) No hot water in the kitchen. Before: I didn't know 21st century building and health codes permitted this. Now: the electric tea pot and Clorox bottle are my BKB (best kitchen buddies).
4) Housekeeping. :) No explanation needed.
5) Wringing out a tee shirt and two towels for each 45 minute exercise workout. Before: I gauged the intensity of the workout on the amount of sweat. Now: I consider sweating at the gym an inexpensive "day at the spa."
6) Biking at 5:00 am before the sun rises. Before: I preferred sleeping until at least 6:00. Now: I prefer the early am hot and humid weather to the mid-day sun drenched hot and humid. Pre sunrise I can hear the birds chirping and roosters crowing but can't see rubbish and trash lining the road side.
7) A fresh leg of beef dripping in the produce aisle in the morning and being carved in the afternoon with flies jumping between lettuce and leg. Before thinking: yuk and "sub-prime under aged beef". Now thinking: "Beef!...it's what's for dinner."
8) Cooking decisions based upon what's for sale at the store. Before: wondering what to do with acres of dried fish and noodles. Now: seeing one - 200 gram pack of feta cheese and saying "Greek salad for dinner!"
9) Gardening and nurseries: Before: leaving the yard care and gardening to my husband and snoozing through trips to the nursery. Now: eagerly planning trips to the nursery to purchase plants with exotic scents and leaves like jasmine, hibiscus, and Chinese money trees.
10) Living in Lumut: Upon arrival: disappointed to find the small, dirty industrial port town exactly as I'd expected. Now: happy with my adaptations to the increase in free time to learn new things, see new places and "create" a meaningful existence. I feel like a 17th explorer of new lands far and away with the advantages of internet and electricity for learning and communication.
Yes, I'm probably still in the "honey-moon" stage as it's called in the Stages of Cultural Adaptation (and yes, there is research to explain what happens when people move either across town or across the globe). In any event, it is amazing how we, as humans, do "adapt" to our environments. And, for now, I'll enjoy the "honey moon" while it lasts.
Then I thought about how normal it felt to be riding on the left shoulder.
Then I was trying to imagine myself riding on the right shoulder, and I couldn't remember what it felt like. The left side now felt "normal". I couldn't remember riding on the right side of the road.
Then I started thinking about the human ability to adapt and what I've adapted to in just over three weeks here in Malaysia.
Here are some of my adaptations:
1)Flies covering food and tables at outdoor restaurants. Before: seeing the flies would prompt discussions about sanitation and e-coli. Now: seeing the colorful, spicy, delicious looking food makes my taste buds water while only briefly wondering if red hot chili peppers kill bacteria.
2) Dishing washing with buckets and hoses behind restaurants. Before: I didn't want to think about it or see it. Now: I hope they use bleach but don't give it too much thought.
3) No hot water in the kitchen. Before: I didn't know 21st century building and health codes permitted this. Now: the electric tea pot and Clorox bottle are my BKB (best kitchen buddies).
4) Housekeeping. :) No explanation needed.
5) Wringing out a tee shirt and two towels for each 45 minute exercise workout. Before: I gauged the intensity of the workout on the amount of sweat. Now: I consider sweating at the gym an inexpensive "day at the spa."
6) Biking at 5:00 am before the sun rises. Before: I preferred sleeping until at least 6:00. Now: I prefer the early am hot and humid weather to the mid-day sun drenched hot and humid. Pre sunrise I can hear the birds chirping and roosters crowing but can't see rubbish and trash lining the road side.
7) A fresh leg of beef dripping in the produce aisle in the morning and being carved in the afternoon with flies jumping between lettuce and leg. Before thinking: yuk and "sub-prime under aged beef". Now thinking: "Beef!...it's what's for dinner."
8) Cooking decisions based upon what's for sale at the store. Before: wondering what to do with acres of dried fish and noodles. Now: seeing one - 200 gram pack of feta cheese and saying "Greek salad for dinner!"
9) Gardening and nurseries: Before: leaving the yard care and gardening to my husband and snoozing through trips to the nursery. Now: eagerly planning trips to the nursery to purchase plants with exotic scents and leaves like jasmine, hibiscus, and Chinese money trees.
10) Living in Lumut: Upon arrival: disappointed to find the small, dirty industrial port town exactly as I'd expected. Now: happy with my adaptations to the increase in free time to learn new things, see new places and "create" a meaningful existence. I feel like a 17th explorer of new lands far and away with the advantages of internet and electricity for learning and communication.
Yes, I'm probably still in the "honey-moon" stage as it's called in the Stages of Cultural Adaptation (and yes, there is research to explain what happens when people move either across town or across the globe). In any event, it is amazing how we, as humans, do "adapt" to our environments. And, for now, I'll enjoy the "honey moon" while it lasts.
No comments:
Post a Comment