12 Reasons Why You Know You Are Not in Texas Anymore…

Did you know you can still experience culture shock even when you move to another first-world county? I didn’t. Did you know that you can still experience jet lag with just a two-hour time difference? I didn’t know that either. Did you know Vancouver is very different than Fort Worth, Texas? I am learning this.

I have experienced many things in the past 6 days spent here in Vancouver. Shockingly, I have even experienced differences in the way of life here I never thought I would experience.

So, here are my “12 Reasons Why You Know You Are Not in Texas Anymore.”

1. When the sun comes out in Vancouver, people think they are going to melt away and start shedding layers of clothing. Yes, they call it Raincouver for a reason!
2. People don’t talk while riding the bus. Even if they are awkwardly standing in your personal space.
3. You can only buy as many groceries as you can carry. Unless you have one of those really handy shopping “carts” that your mom used to take with her to garage sales.
4. It takes 10 minutes to throw away your trash. They recycle EVERYTHING. (Btw, your gum goes in the garbage can not the compost. You’re welcome, I just saved you 4 minutes.)
5. Some of the buses smell like substances-that-you-thought-were-illegal-but-now-they-aren’t.
6. It’s not at all uncommon to hear 4 different languages spoken by those in your immediate surroundings.
7. Everything at the supermarket is either organic, vegan, lactose free, gluten free, cage free, GMO free, etc. just not Free.
8. There are Starbucks and/or coffee shops at EVERY corner, even in the same building! Caffeine FOR DAYS.
9. Racism is not a common word here. Canada has been mentioned to be “a beacon of racial equality” by foreigners. In one day I met a lady from London, a man from Israel, a student from China, a couple from Korea, and a guy from Texas! (Quite a unique perspective than in the South).
10. The concept of personal space only extends to the width of your umbrella. When you are on a crowded bus, start pushing or you won’t get in. Also, this makes eye contact very awkward, just pick a spot on the wall or stare at your shoes during your ride. 
11. You always remove your shoes at the door. Since walking is your primary mode of transportation, you don’t want to bring the street into the house with you!
12. Most people will give you directions using the street names, but it doesn’t help when they are mostly numbers! “If you want to go the grocery store, take the 99 to 41^st, then turn left at 43^rd Ave, right on 45^th, and its on the left.”  See what I mean? Better learn fast!

Yes, most of these I learned the hard way. The most distinct moment of culture shock I had this week was Saturday night. Come to think of it, I experienced almost all 12 of these differences. No wonder I was overwhelmed!

Saturday I was blessed to have lunch and afternoon coffee with a neighbor that lives across the street from me. As we were chatting, I realized I did not have any food to eat for dinner. She happened to have dinner with a friend that night in town, so she offered to show me where the grocery store was on the way out of town.

We hopped on the bus and went a few blocks. She pointed out the street I needed to walk down and gave me directions to the store where the prices were a LOT cheaper. I thanked her, stepped of the bus and walked down the street she pointed out. Five blocks later, I walked all the way around the building I thought the store was in, only to find out it was in the basement with the parking garage. I found the basics I needed and stood in the long line to check out. When I went to pay, my Visa was declined, I left my Canadian bank card at home, AND I had no cash. Thankfully, the cashier suspended my order and said there was an ATM close by.

After I breathed a prayer for help, I had to ask several more people where the ATM was and 10 minutes later I was standing upstairs and across the street to get money out. I walk back across the street, in the rain, downstairs, back to the store, stand in another long line just to pay for my groceries. By this point it is almost 8pm, I’m tired, it’s dark, I don’t know where the bus stop is, I’m starving, and I’m dragging my groceries behind me in my shopping cart.

Talk about overwhelmed! All I wanted to do was to stand there and have a pity party, but that was not going to solve anything! I decided to pull up my “Big Girl Pants” and make some Jesus-lead decisions. First, I needed something to eat so my stomach would quit growling. Thankfully, there was an A&W at the corner (thank you, Lord)! After I finished my burger, I looked up where my bus stop was, and I walked over to where I thought it was. By the grace of God, the bus came after 3 minutes of standing in the rain. 😊

When I walked through the door at my apartment, I have never been so thankfully to see familiar places!

I told this to a couple students who asked how my first week has been and they said, “what a testimony!” I smiled because I knew they were right! God continues to provide what I need to get me back home.