You express yourself perfectly both ways: with the photos and with the written words :) Thank you for sharing - it was a real adventure to read your post and teleport for a while to Alaska and South Africa.

The guns in the US terrifies me and honestly, I do not understand the common fascination of this country - the inequalities and crime rate are enormous, and meeting with the guy from your story would traumatize me for years...

About not stressing too much and adapting to the rules of the country,as you had to do it South Africa - I get it. I get it soooo much. Being in South America for 5 years, I struggled a lot with "tranquilo culture" at first :)

Finally, I have learned to accept it, although sometimes it still annoys me (other days it fascinates me and inspires me to slow down - depending on the situation).

I know now that setting the meeting with the friends at 20.00 means that I'll be calling them at 20.30 to ask where are they and I will hear "on the way" as well as the sound of the water from the shower :)

I know now that ordering the delivery of the furniture for Monday means that it will come on Monday indeed, but two weeks after the planned day.

From the other side, I know that if because of some unexpected situation I will be late for any meeting, including business one, nobody will use it against me, because it's how it works here :)