Speaking of culture shock, I had a tramatic experience:

(http://www.seriouskilowatt.com/pics/centipede.jpg)

Woke me up at 3am crawling on my neck.

Couldn't get back to sleep obviously. I felt like a scared kid again in the dark in my bed.

Culture Shock

Sight seeeing on a Sunday. Drive the Kam highwy. It goes around the edge of the whole island. See the whole ocean around the island without ever getting out of the car.

In my backyard. Look to the left and see mountains. Look to the right you see ocean.

I decided it would be a good idea to post my reflections of what gives me a shock when I see it because I figured I will adapt and not see what pops out at me currently.

1) trees.

They are bursting either with flowers or fruit and in odd shapes. I have an avacado tree in my backyard and it's more than I can eat in a life time. We eat 1 a day. Death by avacados. This calls for tomatoes in the house all the time. (for who can eat avacado w/o tomatoes?)

2) weather.

All the windows and doors (w/screens) have been opened for the past 12 days 24/7. Never close them. All through the night and all thru the day including the 'rain falls'. It rains everyday but it's always like a mist or sprinkle. Wet enough to keep things growing and green all yr. round but not enough to ever carry an unbrella with you. It's July. Fans going constantly and it's hot enough to go swimming but cool enough to not put AC on? Weird. It does make for a sticky, humid house though.

3) Birds.

I feel like I'm in a rainforest or at the zoo looking at these interesting birds that are always seen in pairs! Wild roosters are crowing all the time so that Ben (4) is walking around the house crowing all the time.

4) Roads.

The dividing lanes are made up of reflecting bumpy things. I guess they don't have to plow so it's actually safer than paint.

5) People

They are always happy. In some parts, every person there in on Vacation so they're all. . . well . .smiling!! I've never been helped so much in stores in my life. Costco, Walmart and commissary. The cashier paid the bagger $5 tip FOR me w/her own $ cause I didn't have cash. The costco cahier packed up my cart for me and put it into smaller boxes asking if I could lift each one. The hardware store man walked around the whole store with me helping get the products for re-molding my shower. What's going on?

6) Bugs.

Freaking me out when I see centipeds that are thick, pricky and Long! They bite so watch out. BIG coakroaches. They crunch. I've found 3 in the house so far. Every time I open a cabinet I expect to see one. Geckos. They're EVERYWHERE. Walk down the sidewalk or go in the backyard and you'll hear something scamper away quickly from you. Eliza (10) has 3 geckos and 2 camilions as pets she caught. She feeds them crickets.