Like religion
At the one of the first Project camps Shevek was sent to, to work for the community, he met a girl called Gimar. She tells him that her family is from miners who were there before Settlers. Some of them stayed and joined them, growing their own customs differing from those of Settlers. One of those is a song that Gimar begins to sing that reminds Shevek of religion, which is not a close concept to the followers of Odo.
Like a crude sketch in yellow chalk
When Shevek arrives to Urras and sees the richly magnificent nature of it he thinks that that is how a world should look like; in comparison to it the humble landscape of Anarres appears as a crude sketch in yellow chalk.
Aliens
Even though Anarresti came from Urras when Shevek travels back there the people there appear as aliens to him. Their different appearance comes from shaving their body hair and wearing various and interesting clothes, which is opposite from how people of Anarres choose to appear. Aside from seeing the people there as aliens, Shevek himself feels like one in this new world.
Idea like grass
When Shevek arrives to Urras he is struck with how many people want to meet him and share ideas: physicians, mathematicians, biologists... This thirst for communicating ideas is compared to grass, which craves light, crowds, exposure.
