Good Morning here from the American Pacific West Coast! In living abroad and living in different parts of my OWN country, I have found that learning from other cultures and perspectives in life can be so enriching if you have an open mind! I thought we could share some of those differences that you have witnessed and think is wonderful!!! We can learn so much from each other’s worlds!!! Let’s share- but be nice and respectful please!!! Nothing mean por favor, alstublieft, onegaishimasu, pozhaluysta,
le do thoil, and Kripā karakē.
Yesterday I was in the mood for Fish and Chips. I didn’t see it on the menu and asked the kiddo at the counter if they still had “Fish and Chips.” He said, " No. But we have Fish and French Fries!" LOVE IT!!! LOL
According to the Japanese, dogs don’t say woof woof or bark bark…the say “Wan wan!”
In the “Deep South” of the USA, Mac and Cheese is a serious thing! I see it this way- Getting ready for a potluck at work:
Down South-“What are you bringing to the potluck tomorrow?”
Macaroni and Cheese.
OOOHHHH your grandma’s recipe? YOM oh it’s so good!
West Coast- “What are you bringing to the potluck tomorrow?”
Macaroni and Cheese.
Bro, if you’re broke, I got you covered. It’s okay.
Dan!! I LOVE THAT!!! It is so true I have found in WA to be soooo beautiful. I wanted to live there at one time!!! But it was too cold so I moved to Florida instead LOL My fav in Seattle was the fish YOM!
Sophia isn’t that funny how every culture has their “version” of a carbohydrate! OMG I loved the chili and cornbread in the south…oooohhh yeesss Thank you for that insight with the bread culture!!! I find it so fascinating
I’ve traveled, visited, been deployed to, or lived in so many places, and this has enriched my life greatly. My life philosophy of Kaizen (positive change) I learned living in Japan. I’ve learned the awesomeness of the siesta while visiting Spain. My culinary tastes are from all over the world. I can cook traditional Italian one night, legit Korean the next, Southern US or Northern US any other day.
Experiences like these have given me a great appreciation of other cultures, and increased my appreciation of my own.
Most beautiful or enriching? So many, but the one that really stands out was celebrating 6 months sober, on the edge of the north rim of the grand canyon. The most shocking? Literally tasting the sand of Kuwait during the Gulf War.
I am from Austria and whenever I came to northern America people would tell me they loved “The Sound of Music”. Nobody has ever heard of that movie in Austria (well except for the people living in Salzburg and showing the Americans around the movie locations).
I always thought it was interesting that the way Austria is perceived in the US is based on a movie nobody knows here … still haven’t seen it to tell you how accurate it is
A few years ago I went with some friends to visit our mutual friends in Russia. One of them, who is an English teacher in a local elementary school, asked us to join her to give her class a taste of foreigners. So we went. It was late afternoon after the kids had gone home when the teacher friend had to do something in her office and said we could stay in her classroom. So we sat there waiting for her when an older local lady, apparently of the teachers, came in looking surprised to see us. She blasted out something in Russian, which we do not speak at all. Then she stomped out and we had no clue what would happen next. If you know any of Finland’s history, you’d know that Russia has always been a challenging neighbour to us. So we sat there now with elevated tension, expecting to be thrown out or something.
Instead, we were brought tea, cheese and crackers. My prejudices got a slap in the face. Such hospitality and kindness went right through me.
What does the sand taste like in Kuwait? Does it taste different than other places? You got me curious! I like that six month celebration…hmmmm…now you got me thinking about mine! That sounds awesome!
It smells and tastes like ozone. Like a lightning strike without the rain. It stinks. It got into everything. Your food and water. Your boots and butt-crack. Your eyes and ears.
In Russia it was a surprise to find book store open at 2 am with customers.
Also it was weird at first, that the cashiers in groceries don’t really say anything to you, not a word.
And it was nice seeing people eating ice-cream in the minuses.
Not so much cultural but a language joke:
In (Flamish) Belgium they speak Dutch as in the Netherlands, but we have some different words. For example, ‘pik’ (candy) in Belgium means ‘dick’ in the Netherlands. So if someone from Belgium asks: do you want a pik (dick for us dutchies), we say: no thanks, I already have one in my mouth.
It used to crack me up as a kid.
Nothing mean por favor, alstublieft, onegaishimasu, pozhaluysta,
