Quote: (08-27-2013 04:54 PM)Seadog Wrote:
I like travelling, and twice now I've become fully involved living in a seperate culture. I grew up in Canada, but have spent 2 two year hithces, first in Mexican culture, now in Indonesian. Both times it started off tolerable, I would tell people I enjoyed it, but honestly I think I was just being agreeable and trying to give it a fair shot. As the months pass, both times I found myself getting more and more and more annoyed. The language is isolating, I find the people pushy I think from growing up with poverty mindset means they will try and secure litle advantages over each other at the others expense, ie being very pushy at luggage carosel in an airport, because there is limited space. If everyone just took a step back it would be fine, but no, it's just a flat out competition to try and screw others out of space so that they can secure theirs. Everyone trying for a win-lose scenario that ultimately makes everyone worse off. I find the hygiene levels non-existent, and the lack of education which is hand in hand the level of religion also annoying. Having to deal with being woken up every day at 4am when a mosque kicks off, or a Mexican telling me I'm bad for eating meat on Friday, while he snorts coke and cheats on his wife with a 14 yo hooker.
Anyway the point of this post isn't to complain about other cultures, rather inquire if anyone else has made the move to a different culture, loved it, jumped in with both feet, and never looked back? If you look in the west, all immigrants tend to stick to their own (china towns, little koreas etc). Honestly I think what I'm experiencing is just human nature, but I am curious how common it is for people to make the full leap to a different culture.
You just described China perfectly.....except for the cocaine.