If you read my previous post you know that Cheryl and I and another couple are in Lithuania for a mission trip. As I am able I will be sharing experiences from here. If you need a refresher you can read it HERE.
We have been in Lithuania for about 18 hours, but I am just now having an opportunity to write anything about our experience. Unfortunately I do not have the ability to post pictures yet, but maybe soon. I wrote 7 blog posts on the plane ride from Dublin, Ireland to Vilnius, Lithuania. One of them is this one about the plane ride. It was the weirdest plane rides I ever experienced. I think our culture training began early.
Perhaps the biggest culture shaper in Lithuania is the fact that for years they were under Communist rule and have only recently had the freedom to do the things they do today, such as travel, enjoy other cultures, explore the latest trends and fashions, participate in capitalism, go to church, etc. Giving someone freedom can have all kinds of crazy reactions, which we are seeing constantly, but I suspect we started to see the results on the plane ride here. Rule followers need to beware; here are a few highlights I thought were interesting from our trip here:
- The plane ride started like every other I have been on in recent years. The stewardess gave us the standard safety procedures and read the list of rules for take-off, such as about seat belts, tray tables being in the upright position, no electronic devices, etc.
- One man was told to put his bag under the seat in front of him. He started to, until the stewardess walked by, then he placed it back in his lap.
- Just as the plane started to leave the ground, one man jumped up to get something from the overhead bend. No one said anything.
- Dozens of seats were reclined during take-off, including the ones in front of us.
- The girl next to Cheryl had her headphones blaring. She never did turn the music off.
- One stewardess had an exit row seat just behind us. She was reading/reviewing the safety cards of what to do in an emergency during take-off. (I wondered if it were her first time.)
- There was a guy across the aisle in front of us sending text messages during take-off. He continued until he lost service.
- While we were still ascending a young girl who looked to be about 10 years old got up to go to the bathroom. The stewardesses were not up yet and the fasten seat belt sign was still on, but I guess she “had to go”. This started a trend. Soon lots of people “had to go”. At one point there were half dozen people waiting at the front to go. We were still rapidly ascending…
- I looked down the row during take-off and there were dozens of seat belts hanging towards the ground. The plane was full.
It was like people knew the rules, but ignored them, because they wanted to and the rules were never enforced.
That brings up an interesting question:
If you were in this situation and you knew the rules would not be enforced, would you still obey the rules because they were the rules or would you take advantage of the situation and break the rules? Are you more of a rule-follower or a rule-bender?
Do you see any correlation here between the issue of grace and the law? I do and you will read more about it in the days to come.
By the way, in our short time here Cheryl and I have already fallen in love with the people of Lithuania…rule breakers or not! Stay tuned!
Sounds like when I flew on old Aeroflot. It was tickets available for anyTHING (German shepherds, goats…) and was BYOB!! Seats were broken in the reclineing position, seat belts were broken… oh it was an interesting flight!