1. Time is not really a necessary thing. Tell someone to meet you at 10:15 and don't be surprised if they don't even leave their homes until half past 10. The flow of the day is more important than what exact time it is.
2. They drive on the other side of the road here! So when you cross the street, look to your right first. Or maybe it's to the left. Or just whatever is the opposite of where you would look if you were in the US.
3. Oh yeah, and CLEARLY pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here. If a car is coming toward you, it will not stop to avoid hitting you.
4. The sun in the mid-west is not the same sun that shows up in Africa. If you are of pale-European decent, as I am, you will most likely roast. It's best to slather pure zinc on your skin if you don't want this to happen. Just saying.
5. America is a nation of picky eaters. Or South Africa is a nation of non-picky eaters (As so phrased by Amanda, I believe). Whichever way it goes, the food is different. Expecting to buy strawberries that are the size of your fist? Well, you won't find them because, remember, strawberries don't naturally grow that big.
6. Kids are still kids. Despite poverty and other external elements that could dictate their way of life, kids just want to play. Kids just want to hang out and play; they are still just as curious, just as loving, just as funny, just as sweet, and just as amazing as any other kids. Maybe they aren't as video game-obsessed as kids in the US, but their personalities are still the same.
7. Bartering with street vendors is not so scary after all. You just have to let them know what you want and for how much. They will usually comply.
8. The world is a familiar place after all. This is something that Nate mentioned first, I admit that I totally absorbed this idea from him. But it is so true. You would be surprised at how many things you see and find yourself thinking "hey, this is just like_________from back at home."
9. The differences aren't so scary. When preparing to head off to a foreign country, there is much hype of a condition formally know as "culture shock." It is not as intense as it sounds. At least this is how I feel. Sure, things are different here, but I don't find myself in a state of shock. That sounds so serious and harsh, am I right? It's more like recognition of differences followed soon after by an understanding of them.
10. Lastly, embracing being a tourist is flippin' IMPORTANT! If you spend all your time worrying about how obviously of an outsider you are, you will miss out! I promise you! So just embrace the awkwardness of it all, and dive into the experience. You cannot change your tourist status because that is what you are. So flaunt that fanny pack, Hawaiian shirt, socks with sandals, what have you. And enjoy yourself.
