"Have you showered yet? "
The first reaction of course is to take it is a hint and discretely sniff to make sure you aren't exuding an odor. Of course, this isn't a suggestive question, this is my friend's choice of a conversation starter as we sit and peel fruit together.
Culture dictates small talk. Why is it rude to talk about some things and not others with acquaintances? Some may say that it is just good manners. Yet, this area of social etiquette is not universally accepted. We have not come to the point where we comment on someone being fat in a complementary fashion, we are learning to look at our own culture more discerningly and see that some things are not wrong, just different.
Locals ask questions as a way of getting to know one another and to be friendly. While the type of questions take a bit of getting use to, we know that they are usually asked with the best of intention. It is not uncommon for people to ask new acquaintances how much they pay for rent, how much money they make, their marital status, address, their preferred method of birth control and many more. Over time these ice-breakers have become less awkward and more common.
As long as we can keep it straight on visits back home!
Thanks for thinking about our family. We continue to plug away at language and bit by bit start to piece together strands of this culture. Please be thinking about us- that we would have endurance to continue on strong and take opportunities as they come our way.