Everybody Fits

One thing I noticed when we went to Oregon in august, was the personal space required by everyone we saw.  I guess I got acostomed to very little personal space here without even recognizing it...

I remember seeing people who I hadn't seen in at least a year, and JP had never met these people, and when we greeted them, some of the ladies gave me a hug, and pretty much everyone smiled, shook hands, and said they were so glad to see us.  Which I'm sure they were.  But, after the initial hug/handshake, JP and I didn't take a step backwards to continue a conversation, so the other person would take like, TWO steps back.  So we'd take another step forward, and they'd take ANOTHER step back!  JP on a few occaisions asked if we smelled bad or something, and I wondered that too, until I remembered that people don't like to stand very close to each other in the States.  At all.  (We love all of you who greeted us in august, and no that no offense was meant, so we don't take offense either!  hehe!)  I'd love to see gringos on the subway in Mexico City at ruch hour...  EVERYONE is smashed up against each other - perfect strangers... 

Then there's THIS:

19 people (JP is taking the picture, so he counts too) smashed into our little living-room/dining-room one day.  And about 4 people had just left before we took the photo...  At that time, we had four chair and one stool in our entire house, and we borrowed 3 chairs from some friends.  And nobody even thought anything of so many people in one little, unfurnished house. 

I remember, in august again, when my parents entered their house on a night when we'd invited lots of people over for a ministry presentation.  There were probably 30ish people in their living room.  I don't think they expected that...  And I have a feeling that many people were rather uncomfortable...  But we weren't!  And people left right away!  (Except for Roger and Lindsay...  Roger is from Queretaro, and Lindsay is just really laid back, they stayed for a long time to chat.  Which was good.)  Maybe lack of personal space and places to sit?  (Or did we smell bad?  hehe) 

We once squeezed 7 people into a 60s-something model VW Bug.  We just "fit."  On Sundays, we frequently have 6 people in our car (like a VW GT I think...) to take people to their houses.  We had 9 people over for Thanksgiving to eat at our small, 4-person table.  Our friends, Justin and Lluvia have a VERY small house - you can litteraly sit on the couch and be eating at the dining room table at the same time.  And they've had 10 adults plus kids in there.  Everyone just "fits."  And no one complains or even thinks anything of it.  It's normal.  And I LIKE it. 

One thing where we DON'T fit - JP and I sleeping in a twin-size bed when we go visit his dad in Mexico City.  We bring a sleeping bag now...  :)