Culture Shock

I miss Ecuador already. As soon as Delta flight 330 began its descent towards Atlanta, GA, I glanced out the window: no mountains, no scattered crayola-colored buildings--just plain flat land and tall and uniformed skyscrapers. But fortunately, my initial nostalgia was overshadowed by the excitement at seeing all the people I love again.

It has been a thoroughly confusing day. First of all, I couldn't locate the wastebasket to throw away used toilet paper in the bathroom. For some reason, I just couldn't get myself to drop it in the toilet-it felt like a crime. Then, while going through customs, I smiled and exclaimed to the suited man, "buenas tardes!" (good afternoon) and even thought it over in my head beforehand, making sure it was, in fact, past noon. The man raised an eyebrow, "Hi."

About 2 min. after, I accidentally bumped into an old woman and automatically responded, "perdon!" (excuse me). "Sorry," she replied. Wait a minute, people actually speak English here! I look around, and even more surprising, people are...taller than me...wearing name brands and matching outfits...driving automatic cars...not whistling at me everywhere I go. And there are other Asians! Strange. And what is this: 1 banana costs...WHAT, 1$?!?!?! (We get 17 bananas for 50 CENTS). No, gracias.

I ended up walking carrying my hunched backpack from one end of the terminal all the way to baggage claim--the opposite end of the airport from where I started. Dad picked up my baggage for me while I was about 4 terminals, or 30 min. away. It wasn't until I was 2 min. away from my destination when I realized there was a train that could take you there automatically from the beginning. So I hopped on for the last 30 seconds. Who knew of such modern conveniences?

I was finally reunited with my family-so amazing to laugh with them and be together again! Dad, Mama, my little sis Margaret and I packed into the Sienna (yes, one with a little red trinket hanging from the rear view mirror), and headed to "Asian Square" for some sinfully delicious, long-overdue Chinese food. Less than 1 hour later, the four of us completely devoured:

-20 or so home-made shrimp dumplings
-6 steamed pork buns
-4 scallion pork pancakes
-4 egg-wrapped fried dough
-Big bowl of beef noodle soup
-Big bowl of hot combo noodles
-Big bowl of fishdrop bean curd soup
-Chicken sticky rice dish

Yea, I guess I'm happy to be home :)