Cultural Differences...

Some interesting facts about life here compared to America (and new things that even if they happen in America, I never realized it):

• In the states, we greet people with "hi" "hello" "howdy" (depending on where you're from)
• In PNG, we greet people with "moning" (morning) "apinun" (afternoon) or "gut nait" (good night)
• In the states, roosters wake us up with the dawn.  
• In PNG, roosters (kakaruks) crow all the live long DAY!!  (and at dawn...and through the night...why haven't I heard a hoarse rooster YET?)  :)
• In the states, mint gum tastes minty.
• In PNG, mint gum tastes like menthol cough drops.  
• In the states, people are in Walmart complaining about the price of eggs being SO high when they hike them to $1.88/doz, or when Milk costs over $4 per gallon, or even when meat is getting high and they have to stick to chicken instead of so much red meat.  
• In PNG, eggs are sometimes spoiled when you get them and sometimes not.  They're about $3+ per dozen, while Milk is about $12/gallon (and you can only get "shelf milk" or powdered, and chickens are freshly plucked and for the buying at $13 for a 3 lb. chicken.  They don't get much bigger.
• In the states, eye contact is considered good manners when you're talking with someone.
• In PNG, you can only make eye contact with people of the same sex (except for special exceptions).
• In the states, we only used to get our umbrellas out in the rain.  
• In PNG, you take your umbrellas out in the sun just as much as in the rain.
• In the states, our age is marked from the day we were born...our birthday.
• In PNG, they ask you how many Christmases you are.
• In the states, we eat 3 meals a day, and try to be all balanced with protein, carbs, veggies, fruits, and dairy servings.  
• In PNG, you just eat whenever someone offers food and it doesn't really matter what it tastes like.  Spicy, flavorful, tangy, sweet, bland...it doesn't really matter to them.  It's just food.  (I think the food network and cooking shows would go out of business here.)  i.e. - our language helper had a piece of bread and a cup of tea in the morning, then a scone in the afternoon, and no dinner.  He had no complaints.  They don't have set times of day when they have a meal.  
• In the states, we tend to be more boisterous in our conversations.
• In PNG, you see people having "normal" conversations but it's almost as if they're talking quietly so no one else can hear.  We'd be wondering why they don't speak up.
• In the states, we are frustrated if we have to run out to Walmart right before a meal because we ran out of something.
• In PNG, many people live a 30 min. walk from their garden and when it's time to make some food in the evening, they just go to their garden and get what they need for that meal and come back and cook it.  30 min walk?  No biggy!
• In the states, we wear  shoes anywhere public, and especially outside.  Especially for our children if we're gonna be in dirty places.  
• In PNG, it's rare to see a child with shoes on.  They jump out of trees onto gravel in their bare feet, and run across logs and walk through the mud with no second thought.  It's also not the norm to see adults with shoes on.  Talk about calluses!
• In the states, we shake someone's hand with whatever hand we want, and usually multiple "shakes".
• In PNG, you ONLY shake with your RIGHT hand, and usually just one shake downwards.
• In the states, our cell phone have 7 #'s plus an area code.  
• In PNG, they have 8 #'s and no area code.
• In the states, there's every form of diet soda you can think of.
• In PNG, pretty much the only diet soda you can get is Coke Zero.  (unless you go to the American store on our base, and pay $1 for a can of Diet Coke that's smaller than the normal cans in the US).  Is it a surprise to you that we have gone off of soda? :)  probably a good thing, but MAN!  I sure crave a cold Diet Pepsi in the can!!

....well, those are just a few of the things we've learned so far...more to come later.