Some things we're adjusting to...

As you can imagine, soooooooo many things are different here--not bad, just different, as they say. =) Of course, the obvious one is the language, and that is quite a challenge in itself. But there are plenty of other things that we hadn't thought much about before we arrived, like the system of weights and measures, which make a difference when you're at the doctor, receiving directions, or buying furniture! Traffic patterns are crazy, as I'm sure you've heard. The rule is: anything goes--driving on the sidewalk, between two lanes, or on the wrong side of the road is A-kay here! Needless to say, --- A couple of weeks ago our cab driver hit a biker--nothing bad, but both kept going. The police weren't called, nobody got mad, nothing. So different than home! There's so much more that's different too--of course types of food, eating with chopsticks, money, cost of living, clothing style and size, shoe sizes, shoes not worn in homes (even delivery guys and maintenance men take their shoes off!), bargaining, leisure activites (cards, badminton, and majhong), no car seats, the water (use filtered for everything), the weather, business hours (the donut place wasn't open yet at 9:30 am!)--it's hard to even list them all. But here are some of the ones we've really noticed...

Toilets

Also known as “squatty potties”, in public these beauties are BYOTP, pay to use, and sometimes co-ed with no stall doors! We're thankful our apartment has a Western toilet.

Transportation

Our transportation repertoire has expanded to include taxis, buses, and “san lun ches” (covered motor tricycles). But our bike, the double stroller (which we brought with us thankfully, since they don't sell them here), and our feet get most of the mileage!

My new clothes dryer

Dryers are nowhere to be found here—clotheslines on balconies are the trend. Line-dried laundry is great when it’s sunny, but on my enclosed balcony during rainy season it can take up to 3 days for a load to dry! So the smell of mildew is in—we’re way ahead of Bath and Body Works with our new fragrance… =)

Asian potty training

Need I say more? =)