Culture Shock

I have had many moments of culture shock in the past 10 months of living in PNG. But I thought, since this culture shock happened on Thanksgiving, I would share it with you.

Unlike any other Thanksgiving I have experience in the past, this one just did not “feel” like Thanksgiving. What do I mean you ask? Well, I live in a country that is constantly green and the temperature does not vary in great degrees. I also live on a center that is culturally diverse, and if we celebrated one countries holidays we would have to celebrate the holidays of every country. So I worked from 7:30- 4:30 on Thanksgiving.

My friend invited me to come to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. She had also invited another single gal from America and two Papua New Guinean ladies. When we sat down to eat the two Papua New Guinean ladies began to ask us why we celebrate Thanksgiving. As the three of us began our little history lesson we started sharing some other typical “fall” activities. We said things like: hot apple cider (though in my mind I was thinking of a pumpkin spice latte), pumpkin carving, “bilas” (decorating) our houses with fall leaves and gourds, corn mazes, pies, leaf piles, and apple picking. All these things I have been missing, must have seemed so strange to these ladies.

Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do? When I was living in the village I remember trying to explain Spelunking. They would ask me questions like, “Did you go into the cave to hunt bats?” or “Were you not afraid that the floods would come?” I began to realize that MANY things we do in America are forms of entertainment but for people here who have to work so hard to feed their family and keep things running they enjoy talking and telling stories around the camp fire. All the extra money will go to their children’s education or when they go to market. Have you ever thought about the traditions we have and why we have them?

I love Thanksgiving! The thing I love the most is when we can stop and thank the Lord for what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. I have learned that the other traditions, the things that are fun and make up a “tradition”, can go away, as long as I can thank my God. Thanksgiving is not about the food, the pies, the football, or the beautiful leaves (though I miss those things)…it is about our attitude of gratitude.

No matter our culture we can be grateful for what we have and even thank God for the struggled he has put us through hoping that He will mature us through them and draw us nearer to him.

Happy Thanksgiving Friends