Saturday 20 July 2024

Culture Shock!


Merriam-Webster describes culture shock as a sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to an alien culture or environment without adequate preparation

Y’all, prepared for some ish I definitely was not, I can tell you that for sure because I have experienced all kinds of this confusion since I got to this Biden’s America and I’ll be gisting you about a few of those. 

So you know how on the 1st of October every year, to celebrate Naija Independence day, no one stays home cz we be outside chilling and chopping wherever we go? Hmmmm that is how on my first 4th of July here, I declared I wasn’t cooking, we shall go out and do this the Naija way.

Haaaaaa *wipes lone tear*

That is how we went out and drove the whole length and width of this town looking for where to eat. Tell me why not even one restaurant was open.

We even drove to the next town about 20 mins away. Guess what? 

Yup, you got it right. It was a ghost town. No food, no hanging out, nada!

So what happens here as against our deck up and go out is everyone stays home and does a bbq; basically hang out with family and friends and throw knock out at night. The knock out is always amazing so I wont complain much.

Now, to the more shocking experience for me… 

That is how I have not gone to church on Christmas Day since I came here oh! Ah, a whole Christmas Day and I’m getting a message the day before about how we should all spend time with family and have a blessed day.

Ahhh! Will  my Christmas cloth wear itself? So there will be no dancing and plenty offerings? We will not stay in church for extra time as our own part of omugwu for Jesus’ birth?

Oya what am I supposed to be doing at home on Christmas Day? No church, no outing cz everywhere is closed as usual. 

#Sigh

Did you just ask yourself what happens on New Year’s Eve and day of? Hmmmm no crossover service, no dancing in church till midnight and screaming ‘happy new year’ at mid night. 

You want to know the worst one of all? 

I was gobsmacked when I realized I would have to pump gas in my car, all by myself! Like why? Why can’t I just sit like the baby girl that I am and have someone else on it like I do back home? Why do i have to come down from the car, take the nozzle and pump? This is definitely something I still can’t get used to and because of this, my tank is always red before I pump gas.

Well, well, what can I say? Na who send me come, abi?

Oh, another one. If you go to buy fresh fish, this is what you will get. No head, no skin….                                 

                                                   

How does a Bachama girl survive this? Fish no head? 

*Wipes lone tear*

Thank God for the African shops that ship full fish as it was meant to be; head and skin intact!

Oh, don’t go and be confused like me when you order fried fish in the restaurants and get this ↓.





And the kind of things my eyes saw in New Orleans when I attended a concert during the Essence festival ehn? Gist for another day.

Sooo, now it’s your turn, tell me about the biggest culture shock you’ve experienced, locally or internationally. 

Xoxo

Ps: there’s  more oh but these are the ones I choose to talk about today, I will fill y’all up with time.

22 comments:

  1. Amazing write Up, it'll be Nice to adapt to new Cultures we're introduced to.

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  2. How does a Bachama girl survive this? Fish no head? just imagine fa ..hahahahaha .
    4th July, christmas day ..was so hiliarious cant stop laughing.


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  3. Ah what's a fish without its head nah😲 thank God for African Shops ooo. Wow Naija holidays are always about hanging out with friends and family outside our homes ooo. Sannu faπŸ˜„

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  4. This will be a welcomed surprise for me
    Everybody should stay in there houses πŸ₯±

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  5. Beautiful on all cultures and the shock we get. One of my first shockers was with the manner in which greetings are exchanged. Okay someone says how far ( meaning how are you) and am like with what? Because where i come from ,how far is a question in relation to something one is following up on.

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  6. Here in the UK it's them asking " You alright?" . I thought na question oh and was always answering as e dey go, asheeey na greeting. Apparently the right answer is "Yeah! You?" And walk away very fast.

    Also living in a block of 25 flats and you don't talk to anybody. I still don't know mh neighbours names. They told me once and I can't remember, as we have only ever said hi since then. I am sure they don't remember mine too.

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  7. Change is constant, Bachama girl will adapt to getting "fish without it's head"πŸ˜†

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  8. Lol Bachama woman wey like fish

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  9. Nice write up mine was waiting standing at a Zebra crossing waiting for a car to cross in Maastricht while the car was waiting for me to cross

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  10. Maybe is time to recreate your Christmas bash and other things alike. But then this family time is wonderful I must say ..
    Oh Lamurde our beloveth fatherland. Why treat her like this with so much fond memories and Numan didn't even spare you either.

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  11. Let me πŸ˜‚πŸ€£ first!!
    Adapting to new culture ain't easy.

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  12. Lol this piece is hilarious, have not stopped laughing, good one sis.
    My experience was in Dubai when I was attempting to cross the road and the Cars STOPPED, I gave them corner eye wondering Wetin dey happen, no horn, no yelling, no insults just patient people waiting for me to cross, like really? That was scary πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜†, this niaja girl no Sabi that one πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚

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  13. Heheheheheh!!!i am not Bachama but I can't imagine eating fish without the head cos that head is the best part 😁

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  14. Bachama no dey play with fish head at all,well you don dey use to am now 😊

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  15. I can overlook the Christmas drama but Fish without head and skin??? Oh boy.. as what please,???😭

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  16. Na really culture shock be this....fish without head and skin 😫😫

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  17. Heheheheheh!this oyinbo people funny sha oh.you go de use to am πŸ˜πŸ€—

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  18. Make I πŸ€£πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚πŸ€£fish no head and skin kwat,my friend didn't tell me that Bachama people are fish lovers 😁....nice write up

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  19. My people no dey carry last for fish matter 😁

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  20. Fish no head nor skin interesting well I know it was wired at first lols.

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  21. Lol! Well I’m not a lover of fish head neither am I a lover of its skin, so I guess I’ll welcome this culture shock quite nicely😁

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  22. Abeg dey come back home every Christmas n new year..I don dey save small small for your bus money ..!!!

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