Culture Shock

My time in the States is winding down. And when I get back, I'll likely no longer have time to write creatively. So let's add to the list while I'm still thinking about it.  4. Halloween. Ok, I've spent most of this trip in Massachusetts (where I lived for many years) so I'm not surprised to see traces of Halloween in October. But I was stunned to see a yard in Quincy decked out like this in September - more than a month before Halloween.  Quincy, MA Nor was I ready for the extent that some home-owners go to in decorating their yards.  Ipswich, MA Quincy, MA Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn, NY I began sending these pictures to my family WhatsApp thread (with messages like "Isn't this crazy?!"). Worcester, MA But this one in Worcester, MA takes the cake as far as I'm concerned. The next three pictures are from the same yard.  I think I've gathered enough data to support the thesis that, for many Americans, Halloween is one of the most important events of ...

Dear Friends, After taking Emily and Petra to a local office to apply for our daughter's citizenship, I am not surprised that  Steve Job 's life was less celebrated here in Croatia than it was in America. Believe it or not, this picture was taken in October of 2011. It's not that the internet, personal computers, electronic handheld devices, or various other communication systems are not utilized in Croatia.  By no means!  It's just that they are not used in the places where they could arguably be the most useful.  This worker was very friendly.  And if he was confused, it stemmed more from our daughter being born into a unique (for small-town Croatia) dual citizenship marriage. Yes, typewriters are still used all over Croatia.  I find this strange in a land that is becoming more and more like Western-Europe everyday.  My inclination is to hang this cultural difference in the closet that already holds most of the shocking things I've encounter...

As I sat down on the subway in Boston last week and looked around, I was amazed by the number of people who had their heads buried in some kind of flat hand-held web-surfing rectangle.  Now, don't get me wrong.  It's not that Croatians (and other Eastern Europeans for that matter) don't use small electronic devices.  The point is that they're not constantly browsing the Internet on their BlackBerry.  They're not looking at pictures on facebook with their Itouch.  They (generally) simply text and are done.  I would guess that most Eastern Europeans would be shocked if they saw what I saw the other day.  I sure was.  At the risk of promoting a rather hypocritical advertisement (isn't the point to get you to use their phone more than someone elses?) this commercial exaggerates, but is dead on:

Technology at it's best. Thank you Skype!

The first idea I read about wasn't so bad. In fact, I thought about giving it a try. The 9Marks blog challenged its readers to express the gospel in 140 characters or less - as a twitter message.If nothing else, it would give twitterers a chance to articulate the gospel concisely while possibly solidifying its truth in their minds. But what followed was something I wasn't ready for. Time Magazine ran a piece last week about how some churches are allowing - no - encouraging congregants to tweet during the morning worship service. Several churches around the country have upped the band-width in the auditorium, tweaked the projector and displayed anyone and everyone's tweets throughout the announcements, music and message. "Why tempt people with short attention spans with such distractions?", the article wondered. "Because Twitter is hot." What? Maybe Pastor John Voelz from Westwinds Community Church in MI expressed it better: We're looking to "m...