in no particular order:
...its hard to remember not to flush the toilet paper.. there is usually always a waste basket nearby, most systems in central-south america cant handle the paper.
... alt 6 4 is the easist way to get the @ when sending email, .. heard this works in parts of mexico and central america also...
...agua calientes (hot water) is never really what you hope for... you learn to appreciate the fresh experience of a cold shower
...buses give off good awful exhaust, but theres not much you can do about it...
...taxi fares are negotiable, there usually arent meters (at least in quito) so ask a trust worthy local what you should pay, and dont pay more... but agree on a price before getting in
...learn to love fresh tropical fruits and juice, they are plentiful often in healthy servings for 50 cents
...only tourists where shorts, even in warm weather
...everyone walks slower , much slower
...chevere, is the phrase to know and say, all the time. its like how we use good or cool
... phone calls to the states range from 7 cents to 25 cents a minute, just look around.
... IM is very popular in internet cafes for the young locals
... people like to ask how much things cost in your country, to compare. for example, when I was in colonial quito an older woman named blana sat down next to me and we started talking. in the middle of the conversation she asks, ¨ how much does it cost to get your hair cut?¨I respond, $20. (not wanting to make the situation seem worse than it is), and she says ¨oh.. here, hear you pay $2.00¨
...watching foreign films (with subtitles in the lang you are learning) is great practice!
