Matt’s Mishaps
“Serving overseas as a small-town boy in America has been intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!”
—Matt
Funerals can be times to reflect on tragic death that happened before we thought it was time. Other times, funerals are like family and friend reunions where we celebrate a life lived to its fullest and maybe one that finished at a time later than expected.
Births, graduations, marriages, and funerals are conducted in different ways in each country and culture. I had to awkwardly mishap my way through learning new protocols and expectations at these important life events when living overseas.
We Americans often have an elaborate embalming process for our deceased loved ones that allows funerals to be delayed for days and weeks in order for all to arrive. However, where we live overseas, no such chemicals and processes happen, so funerals occur within a day or two after death. I have missed many funerals as I didn’t get word in time about someone’s passing.
Cemeteries are also a different affair. As land is limited, people are buried in niches in walls. Unless a person is of very special and significant importance, the niche is only for a 30-year period, and then they are moved to a large common grave (a pit in the cemetery). We have a cemetery not far from our overseas house that was established by superstitious fisherman some 300 years ago. Foreigners (mainly Dutch and English) who died here were not allowed to be buried on the land (thought to be bad luck), so the bodies were attached to large rocks and sunk at sea. However, fisherman believed their poor catch was caused by the foreigners being buried in their fishing waters. The compromise was a cemetery for foreigners in an undesirable location. Where? The military had a magazine for unstable munitions where none of the living wanted to build nearby, so it was a good location for the foreigners’ cemetery.
Faster communication makes it easier for me to not be late for funerals, but I am cautious where the cemetery is located.
Something similar ever happen to you. Contact me and let me hear your story!
mattsmishaps@gmail.com Matt’s Mishaps, PO BOX 114, Grabill, IN 46741
