Peja Facts

Just wanted to give y'all a quick glance at some things that depict the normal life here, but seem different to other cultures.

* If it doesn't snow much in the winter, there will be many shut offs of water during the summer time.
* It is rude to not stand to your feet when someone older than you enters the room.
* The electricity turns off many times each day, and everyone acts like nothing has happened. Life continues on as normal until it turns back on in a few hours.

* If it rains for many days, the tap water will be dirty. The water plant's filters get flooded and can't clean it all.

* Every time you enter a house or meeting place, you must remove your shoes! They think Americans are so dirty to wear their shoes inside someone’s home.
* It is common to cook over a gas stove, like the ones that you take camping. The electricity is off most of the day, so everyone is used to that. Plus it is so strong, things cook much faster.
* It is perfectly normal to throw your trash on the ground. In fact, you are extremely weird if you don't do so. Sadly, this beautiful city has many ugly sights because of that.
* It gets dark here at 4pm during the winter. Life pretty much stops for the locals then.
* Fruits and vegetables are seasonal. There is nowhere to buy strawberries other than the market for the three weeks they are in season during summer time.
* When you greet someone, you hold hands and kiss each other's cheeks three times if you aren't good friends and four if you are.
* The children wear their pajamas under all their clothes for the entire winter- you can often see them peeking out (so cute!).

* It is very much a male dominated society, so the boys get away with pretty much anything at home. The mothers wait on them hand and foot along with doing the same for the father- sickening!
* The children only go to school for four hours each day. There is not enough classroom space or teachers to go longer.
* Women rarely leave the house, only occasionally for special reasons.
* When you greet someone, you must ask about six questions: How are you? Are you good? What are you doing? Are you tired? How is your family? Is anything new?
* The answer for the above questions is always: Good. Yes. Nothing. A little. Good. Nothing much. (I am not joking! These are always the answers)
* Shoes are probably the most important part of the outfit, so you must have them clean. However, this is almost impossible since most roads are extremely dusty or unpaved.

* There is a 70% unemployment rate here.