Early Lessons - Part 1

1. Airport lounges rock ! Definitely worth the splurge for long layovers.
2. Always carry a change of clothes in your carry on, and never check through anything that is irreplaceable. Also, what may seem non-essential to you, may be valuable to someone else.
3. Yes, chickens can be pets.
4. Stewed greens may not look very appetizing, but taste yummy, especially in peanut sauce.
5. Local police driving tip #1: To thwart a "smash and grab", leave your car window slightly ajar. (A completely rolled up window will break when hit.)
6. Local police driving tip #2: Never fill your car up to more than 1/2 a tank. (So the thieves don't get very far; they won't want to fill up at a gas station for risk of being identified by the security camera, and will likely abandon your vehicle, increasing odds it will be found.)
7. Cell phones are essential. (Yes, I am just learning this now. Sorry to those who have been asking me to text for years !)
8. Air conditioning is essential, especially when it is 34 degrees outside.
9. Sharing a house with 5 other people (and 1 chicken) can be a good idea. (It makes a difference to have 1 person in charge of cleaning, to avoid disputes over dirty dishes, who cleans up after the chicken, etc. Thank you, Thabo !)
10. Canadians really do say "Thank You" and "I'm sorry" a lot.