{culture_shock}

bali was the first time I felt true culture shock. I had to learn how to ride a scooter with trucks flying past me on one lane winding roads, how to communicate with only body language and simple phrases, and how to barter.

bartering was such a crazy concept for me. not crazy in that I did not understand it, or could not comprehend it, but crazy to be actually doing it. you barter with the shopkeepers selling knockoff jerseys that are already substantially cheaper than anything you could buy in the states, and yet the keepers enjoy the whole game of bartering. I was not good at it, but it was oddly fun.

then there are the volcanos and the temples and the monkeys. it is about as different from plains of the midwest as you can get. we had plans to hike one of the volcanos, mount agung, but unfortunately it was active while we were there and couldn't. we did do some whitewater rafting, my first time ever doing so. that was crazy.

I plan on going back.