Culture Shocks

Hey everyone, today I’m going to be writing about something that is pretty important for anyone who has or will immerse themselves into a new culture: culture shocks! When you’ve only experienced things a certain way for your entire life, a change of scenery can be a HUGE adjustment. These are some of the most notable culture shocks I’ve encountered ever since my move from Jensen Beach, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“El Besito” 

In Puerto Rico, everyone greets each other with a kiss (“el besito” translates to “a little kiss”) on the cheek. This is whether you’ve known each other for five years or five minutes. In Florida, if I just casually kissed my friends on the cheeks, people would think I was crazy. It’s ironic because if you don’t greet people with “el besito” here, they look at you like you’re crazy. I still forget about it from time to time, but I think it’s a super sweet way to say hello (and it totally trumps the awkward handshake)

El Tapón/Crazy Drivers

In my hometown, there was NEVER any traffic. The only time you ever got stuck in traffic is if you happened to be driving past a car accident, or if there was a train crossing through.

Puerto Rico is the complete opposite. Since there are more cars on the island than people, there’s literally always traffic. People think red lights are suggestions. Drivers here will take a three lane road and be driving in five lanes. Driving in Puerto Rico and driving in Jensen Beach is like stepping into two parallel universes, I kid you not. Granted, Jensen Beach has a population of 11,000 people, and San Juan has a population of 2.5 million people, so that might be a factor too.

The Non existent traffic in Downtown Jensen Beach. Photo: Jensen Beach Inn by Sylvar. License CC.

Traffic in San Juan. Photo: Trafico en PR-26 by MPD01605. License CC.

Photo: 30-August-2009 – Otro Atardecer Sobre el Condado by Rob Rex. License CC.

Things being open late at night

I come from a really small town, and the motto is that the people who live there are “newly wed or nearly dead” (Either young families and their children or senior citizens). That being said, it can be a serious challenge to find a restaurant (besides taco bell) that’s open past 9pm. This leads to bored, frustrated teenagers complaining about how there’s nothing to do. In Puerto Rico, if you arrive at 9pm, you’re considered early. Things get started at like, 11. It’s actually really great. Not only that, but most of the grocery stores are open 24 hours, which is even more amazing.

Photo: 24 Hours Neon Sign by Mike Mozart. License CC.

How Full Shopping Malls Are

Apparently Puerto Rico’s going through the worst economic crisis in its history. The irony of it though is that you probably wouldn’t think so if you went to any of the malls here. They’re ALWAYS packed. Again, in a town with 11,000 people, the shopping malls don’t tend to get very crowded (at all). Shopping in Puerto Rico is like black friday in Jensen Beach, but everyday.

Can we just talk about how many people are waiting to check out in my local Costco?

Enough said.

How Close Everything Is

Florida is a huge state. It’s 500 miles long and 160 miles wide. There’s a lot to see, but everything is spread out. It takes a long time to see everything the state has to offer. Puerto Rico is only 100 miles wide and 35 miles long, so everything is much more condensed. There’s a ton to see, cities, mountains, beaches, a rainforest, waterfalls; and it’s all in much closer proximity than things are in Florida.

Buen Provecho

In Puerto Rico, every time you see someone eating, you say “Buen Provecho”, which basically translates to “Enjoy your food.” If you’re at a table by the door in a restaurant, everyone that walks by will take a second and say “buen provecho”. People say it to their Friends, and they say it to strangers if they’re walking by. I was eating by myself at the mall the other day, and four people I didn’t know stopped and said “Buen Provecho.” It’s considered rude not to say it, and it’s totally normal here. In Florida, people generally don’t say anything when they see a stranger eating, and if they do, somebody will probably think they’re being bold/outgoing/overly friendly. Here, everyone says it without even thinking about it.

Photo: Plato Típico de Venezuela by Fiuxy. License CC.

These are just a few of the culture shocks I’ve experienced over the past four months. There’s a lot to write about, so I’ll end it here. My advice to anyone going abroad (or even  a new city in the same country, culture shock still occurs, just without the language barrier): you will feel intimidated, but if you keep a positive attitude and an open mind, you will eventually begin to thrive. Trust me, it takes a bit of time, but it will happen. That’s all for today, until next time…