LauraGB Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 All the other threads about frugality and such have been really interesting to me. Having been raised American, I feel very fortunate to be able to have a dryer and washing machine, dishwasher and disposable diapers. In fact, I take most of them completely for granted. It has been intriguing to me to hear the cultural differences stated in those threads. It has also been eye opening. However, I have always been aware of how, as Americans, we consider convenience not a luxury or privelidge, but a right. Those of you who are widely travelled, and those of you who do not live in America, if you would be willing to share what you have found to be major cultural differences between America and other places, I think it would make for a very interesting and educational discussion. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, last year I read an article in the paper about how immigrants tend not to see some "essential" appliances as so esssential. Specifically it mentioned that it tended to take 5 or so years for an immigrant to start to use a dishwasher. I thought that was really, really interesting because I grew up overseas and it took me 5 years before I decided it was worth it to use the dishwasher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secular_mom Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 My parents still don't have a dishwasher. When I first got married and lived in an apt. with a dishwasher and garbage disposal I was afraid of the things and never used them. Finally DH talked me into using the disposal, but I didn't start using a dishwasher until 2 homes later. By that time I really appreciated having one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 My parents still don't have a dishwasher. When I first got married and lived in an apt. with a dishwasher and garbage disposal I was afraid of the things and never used them. Finally DH talked me into using the disposal, but I didn't start using a dishwasher until 2 homes later. By that time I really appreciated having one. Kids will do that to you. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 All the other threads about frugality and such have been really interesting to me. Having been raised American, I feel very fortunate to be able to have a dryer and washing machine, dishwasher and disposable diapers. In fact, I take most of them completely for granted. It has been intriguing to me to hear the cultural differences stated in those threads. It has also been eye opening. However, I have always been aware of how, as Americans, we consider convenience not a luxury or privelidge, but a right. Those of you who are widely travelled, and those of you who do not live in America, if you would be willing to share what you have found to be major cultural differences between America and other places, I think it would make for a very interesting and educational discussion. Thanks, All those things you mentioned are really unnecessary here in India because it is very affordable to hire someone to come in and do all that! Now, don't hate me but I have a maid/housekeeper who does the dishes, washes the clothes, puts them out to dry, folds them and puts them away, dusts and sweeps, wet mops, cleans bathrooms, etc. All for about $120 per month. So you see, we actually do MORE work in the US even though we have all those machines. Now you also know why I am in no hurry to move home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 My parents still don't have a dishwasher. When I first got married and lived in an apt. with a dishwasher and garbage disposal I was afraid of the things and never used them. Finally DH talked me into using the disposal, but I didn't start using a dishwasher until 2 homes later. By that time I really appreciated having one. I don't have a dishwasher either -- unless you count the one I married. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Some intriguing differences: Europe --Really tiny appliances. My Swiss aunt keeps a tiny clothes washer in the bathroom. A Scottish friend has her slightly larger clothes washer in the kitchen. The refrigerators are also teeny-tiny. --Daily laundry --Hang dry clothes rather than use a machine dryer. This was especially intriguing to me in Scotland, where it rains a LOT. My Scottish friend is constantly taking the clothes in off the line, and there are always drying clothes draped around her home. I don't understand why machine dryers are not more widely used in such a damp climate. --Daily grocery shopping --Walking most places rather than driving Mexico --Never flush paper products. All paper products are collected in trash can for disposal. Let's just say I reeeeeeeally appreciate American plumbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheWillFly Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Some intriguing differences: Europe --Really tiny appliances. My Swiss aunt keeps a tiny clothes washer in the bathroom. A Scottish friend has her slightly larger clothes washer in the kitchen. The refrigerators are also teeny-tiny. --Daily laundry --Hang dry clothes rather than use a machine dryer. This was especially intriguing to me in Scotland, where it rains a LOT. My Scottish friend is constantly taking the clothes in off the line, and there are always drying clothes draped around her home. I don't understand why machine dryers are not more widely used in such a damp climate. --Daily grocery shopping --Walking most places rather than driving THis sounds so nice. I'd prefer that to the way we're taught to do it. -Bigger is better -Climbing laundry mountain once a week -Not being permitted to hand laundry because it is unsightly -weekly or bi-monthly trips to the village simulated grocery mall to purchase apples from Chile and strawberries from Mexico. -driving to the post office half a mile down the road because it isn't safe to walk on the road. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, most people either ride bikes or take public transportation (which is very inconvenient at times!) and walk where they need to go. Cars are nice, and wonderful, but, gas is expensive and even dumpy used cars are a lot of money here. I have a washer and a dryer but, most don't have a dryer. Up until July, I had a little apartment stove that I was cooking on, now I have a regular-sized stove/oven. Most Guatemalans don't use an oven so they only have a little gas stove top or they cook over an open fire. Mail is basically non-exsistent. Our bills (when they come) are pushed under our gate and our only hope is to notice them before they get rained on or run over! If we don't get a bill, that's no excuse, we still need to pay. So, I find myself standing in bank lines (you pay your bills by making a deposit into the account of the electric company, cable company, internet company, phone company, etc. I'm lucky enough to only have to go to 3 separate places to pay our monthly bills) asking them how much I owe so I can pay and not get turned off! Like Strider said, you don't flush the toilet paper. It gets deposited in a garbage can next to the toilet and ds11 gets to empty it daily. Most people don't have a refrigerator, they go to the market daily to get what they need. I have to go to 3 different places to shop for my family for the week--there isn't a super store in Antigua although there is in the City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, last year I read an article in the paper about how immigrants tend not to see some "essential" appliances as so esssential. Specifically it mentioned that it tended to take 5 or so years for an immigrant to start to use a dishwasher. I thought that was really, really interesting because I grew up overseas and it took me 5 years before I decided it was worth it to use the dishwasher! It took me 6. :lol: That's so funny. I thought it was just me! Major difference I noticed was the assumed right to create as much waste as necessary in the name of convenience and to suggest otherwise was almost a carnal sin so I would be looking at ppl like "what on earth is wrong with you!?" and they would be looking at me like "what on earth is wrong with you!?". I grew up being taught to conserve, to think of the environment - it's in public school, it's on the television - consider the waterways, pick up trash, recycle, take the bus, ride a bike, turn off the water when you brush your teeth .. on and on and on and on from birth .. .. and then I arrive in America and about die of horror. :svengo: ETA. maybe I should be more specific and say I arrived in Texas. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 RecumbentHeart, if you don't mind, where are you from/raised? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 --Never flush paper products. All paper products are collected in trash can for disposal. Let's just say I reeeeeeeally appreciate American plumbing. This seriously threw me when we first visited Mexico. There were even attendents working in the public restrooms to keep the garbages clean. Years ago, a gentleman who was originally from Mexico stayed with us for a while, and I remember very sternly letting him know NOT to put the used paper in the wastebasket. He never bothered to explain the situation to me, and once I put 2 and 2 together, I felt kind of bad. :blushing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Those of you who are widely travelled, and those of you who do not live in America, if you would be willing to share what you have found to be major cultural differences between America and other places, I think it would make for a very interesting and educational discussion. Thanks, - toilet paper in trash can in Mexico - no showerhead in Russian hotel bathroom - bidet in same bathroom (I thought the bathroom had two toilets, and I couldn't figure out why!!:lol:) - squatty potties in other Russian and Ukranian locations (restaurants, amusement park, stores, etc.) - pit toilets here in some Canadian no-frills campgrounds - no drinking of tap water in Mexico/Eastern Europe/Antigua, West Indies - no doors on shower stalls or toilet stalls in Mexican orphanage I stayed in, and in Antigua - community showers with my teammates! - no doors on squatty potty stalls in Ukraine - no toilet paper in many places in Russia/Ukraine, although you could buy squares of really rough stuff from attendants in some public bathrooms - I did laundry using a washboard and tub, outdoors, in Mexico, and hung things to dry - I did laundry in a sink, using a sock to plug the hole, and hung things to dry in my hotel/dorm rooms in Russia/Ukraine - In places that did have toilets, most didn't have a seat - just the rim - In Mexico in 1986, I didn't drink water for a whole month. I kept buying soda from various stalls, and occasionally I bought apple juice when I could get to a grocery store. It's crazy now that I look back, but I don't remember seeing bottled water anywhere!! I was soooooooo thirsty all the time, and when I came back over the border into Texas, the first thing I did was go into Dunkin Donuts and asked for a tall cup of water, and then another. I couldn't get enough. - Cold baths/showers in all those places, with no guarantee of finishing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Forgot to mention the showers! How could I forget! We've lived here for almost 4 years and just got hot running water in our house in July. Up until then, we showered with "widow makers". These are shower heads that are hooked up by wires to the electricity in your house and as the water runs through the electrical current it is heated and you get a "hot" shower. Actually, it was luke-warm at best and you better not accidentally touch it when reaching up to wash your hair because you get shocked. Lots of fun! Also, if we run out of drinking water, we're out of luck as the water here is absolutely horrible. We don't use it for anything except washing dishes and then we use bleach with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I went to Maryland once and saw cockroaches the size of my hand. I was once in the Carolinas and they had something called scrapple. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Another time, we went to Northern California and the people there wore socks with their sandals. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Another time, we went to Northern California and the people there wore socks with their sandals. :001_huh: What's wrong with that? :glare: lol I think that's kind of a European thing too. I remember recognizing tourists by their socks w/ sandals. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 The one thing I did notice in Europe was the sheer amount of dog poop on the sidewalks. SHeesh. THere was one guy who always let his dog doodie right in front of the children's slide. Um...Hello! Children play there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 RecumbentHeart, if you don't mind, where are you from/raised? Australia. Queensland to be more precise. I was thinking about and realized I could better explain the difference this way: My whole life I've heard the message "conserve, conserve, conserve" and here it's been all "consume, consume, consume". You just don't see frequent and common place public service messages about recycling, picking up trash, utilizing public transport and bike paths, car pooling, etc. during prime television hours here like was normal when I lived in Brisbane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*anj* Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I have an American friend who is living in Thailand, teaching English. When she first arrived she was staying in a sort of residence hotel while waiting for her bungalow to become available. So when she was ready to wash her clothes, she went to the innkeeper and tried with great difficulty to find out whether there were clothes dryers. There was a language barrier, but finally in frustration, the innkeeper bellowed "You hang up! YOU HANG UP!!!!!" :blush: "Oh." said my friend. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 My MIL has been in the country 24 years and still thinks a dishwasher is for storing clean dishes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Those terrified me in Costa Rica, but the shower was unbearably cold without them! EEK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Australia. Queensland to be more precise. I was thinking about and realized I could better explain the difference this way: My whole life I've heard the message "conserve, conserve, conserve" and here it's been all "consume, consume, consume". You just don't see frequent and common place public service messages about recycling, picking up trash, utilizing public transport and bike paths, car pooling, etc. during prime television hours here like was normal when I lived in Brisbane. Paid for with your tax dollars.... There are anti-litter signs all over Texas. In fact, Texas' anti-litter campaign was the model of success for other states. I've found Texas and New Mexico to be the least spendy state I've lived in. Here, out of sheer snobbery, people won't go to discount stores. Yet they swoon over IKEA because it's so EUROPEAN... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 All the other threads about frugality and such have been really interesting to me. Having been raised American, I feel very fortunate to be able to have a dryer and washing machine, dishwasher and disposable diapers. In fact, I take most of them completely for granted. It has been intriguing to me to hear the cultural differences stated in those threads. It has also been eye opening. However, I have always been aware of how, as Americans, we consider convenience not a luxury or privelidge, but a right. Those of you who are widely travelled, and those of you who do not live in America, if you would be willing to share what you have found to be major cultural differences between America and other places, I think it would make for a very interesting and educational discussion. Thanks, Not really a cultural difference, just a convenience issue, really. The showers in the UK stink. I lived in Cambridge, London, and Edinbourgh and couldn't find decent water pressure for a shower to save my life. Also the number of showers was an issue. I like my two showers a day, in the a.m. and in the p.m., Euros in general don't shower as frequently as we do. Also, Sandwiches. Couldn't find a decent deli style sandwich in all of the U.K. and Europe. They just don't do the big, multi-layer sandwiches that many NY'ers live on for lunch. One of the first places I visited after returning was the Carnagie Deli. http://www.carnegiedeli.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) Cultural differences are many, but regarding frugality, I think there definitely tends to be more use of convenience and technology in the States. Here (Tasmania, Australia) clothes dryers are not used routinely. As in, most families do have one, but only use it occasionally for really wet spells or clothing emergencies. (Um, not trying to be rude, but we would tend to see somebody who uses a dryer every day without a good excuse as a bit lazy and irresponsible. Including me, lately, we've had one of the wettest springs on record and it's hard to use the clothes horse when my 1yo thinks her life purpose is to drag the clean clothes all over the house!) A lot of people wash up rather than using the dishwasher, and quite a few people don't have a dishwasher. Our house had one when we bought it but we got rid of it pretty quickly. Water conservation is big here, for example if your lawn is looking green in the middle of summer you would be looked down on because you're obviously not doing your bit to save water. Oh, and air conditioning - it's quite common in the North of Australia where the weather is tropical, but here in Tasmania with our temperate climate it's very rare for a home to be air conditioned. (I read about prisons in the US being air conditioned and thought "what next - gold toilet seats?") Also a marked difference with food preparation. Cooking "from scratch" is normal here (not for all sections of society, but certainly for average family people), not a slightly weird frugal type thing. Also, we don't have such a developed shopping culture. (I still don't really understand the concept of going to the shopping mall as an outing. Oh and we don't have what you would call a mall. A mall in Tasmania is just one city block of little shops with pedestrian only access.) Edited October 22, 2009 by Hotdrink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 The showers in the UK stink. I lived in Cambridge, London, and Edinbourgh and couldn't find decent water pressure for a shower to save my life. I also found this when living and travelling over there. Our plumbing is more American style than Euro style, thank goddess. Even with water saving shower heads you'd get twice as much pressure here than in the average British shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 The one thing I did notice in Europe was the sheer amount of dog poop on the sidewalks. SHeesh. THere was one guy who always let his dog doodie right in front of the children's slide. Um...Hello! Children play there! I know!!!!! I was shocked at the never-ending piles of dog poop on the streets of Paris. I'm a former NY'er and am prepared for about anything, but the piles of poop were just beyond me. (NY'ers are pretty careful about picking up after their dogs - not necessarily picking up after themselves).:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Both in urban Germany and in Japan, the housing for locals is far smaller than what the military provides, which is itself far smaller than what many families would have stateside. I was chatting about stuff with a base official and he mentioned that one reason there were few pictures of base housing interiors and no interactive "walk through" features was that it might cause friction. The 1400 or so sq feet we are in would be more than generous for many Japanese families. When we were in Berlin, Germany there would be Americans stationed there who complained about their 3 and 4 bedroom apartments and townhouses, oblivious to the fact that there were many dual income German professionals living in far smaller quarters. In fact we had German friends (both staffers for members of parliament) living in converted US Army housing with their two teen aged daughters, while the same style housing was used for junior enlisted or single folks by the Americans. Given this, I tend to cringe when I read some of the average home sizes in the US, especially in areas that had a big housing book and are now seeing high forclosures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Also, Sandwiches. Couldn't find a decent deli style sandwich in all of the U.K. and Europe. They just don't do the big, multi-layer sandwiches that many NY'ers live on for lunch. One of the first places I visited after returning was the Carnagie Deli. http://www.carnegiedeli.com/ Mmmm Carnegie Deli :drool5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 All those things you mentioned are really unnecessary here in India because it is very affordable to hire someone to come in and do all that! Now, don't hate me but I have a maid/housekeeper who does the dishes, washes the clothes, puts them out to dry, folds them and puts them away, dusts and sweeps, wet mops, cleans bathrooms, etc. All for about $120 per month. So you see, we actually do MORE work in the US even though we have all those machines. Now you also know why I am in no hurry to move home! I had a full-time maid. However, the maid went home and did her own housework without extra appliances (she didn't have a washing machine, vacuum cleaner or dishwasher), so she was certainly working harder in her own home than Americans are. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Not really a cultural difference, just a convenience issue, really. The showers in the UK stink. I lived in Cambridge, London, and Edinburgh and couldn't find decent water pressure for a shower to save my life. The gold standard for luxury is a nice long soak in a hot bath. The technology exists for strong showers, but it's not a priority for a lot of people. When we were looking for a house in Scotland, husband (from Texas) checked the shower in each bathroom, because he wanted to know how much to bargain off the selling price in order to put in a strong shower. As it turned out, this house has good water pressure, so no adaptation was necessary. With regard to frequency, there was recently an NHS recommendation that children not be bathed every day, because it dries out the skin too much and can lead to irritation. They said it was better to wash the really dirty bits of children every day and bath/shower every few days. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I wouldn't even know how often my kids bath or shower. It's not regular, it's just whenever they get dirty or feel like a bath. When water is in short supply, I just ask them to stand in the tub, soap up and then throw a few jugs of water over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Well, last year I read an article in the paper about how immigrants tend not to see some "essential" appliances as so esssential. Specifically it mentioned that it tended to take 5 or so years for an immigrant to start to use a dishwasher. I thought that was really, really interesting because I grew up overseas and it took me 5 years before I decided it was worth it to use the dishwasher! Hmm. It took me a couple of years before I began using it, but let me tell you -I'm a convert and won't do a single dish in hand if I don't have to. Most of my immigrant friends do their dished by hand 9after 10+ years here and living in gorgeous homes...). In Japan they are big on cloth diapers. I tried that as a new 20 yo mother, but no, that's not for me...They also don't use dryers so I am always amazed and thankful when I take clothes out from the dryer one hour later -not 2 days such as when it was raining and you were just waiting for the clothes to dry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I know!!!!! I was shocked at the never-ending piles of dog poop on the streets of Paris. I'm a former NY'er and am prepared for about anything, but the piles of poop were just beyond me. (NY'ers are pretty careful about picking up after their dogs - not necessarily picking up after themselves).:confused: I remember being in Paris, though, and hearing the cleaning trucks in the very early morning. But yes, I am always astounded -astounded- when I see dog owners picking up their dog's poop (YUCK!) and walking around with it for what seems like forever. In Denmark originally we had sand bins for dogs to poop in before those bags and scoopers became in, but still you'll find dog poop on the ground (unheard of here). Something else...toilet issues. Never ever had those in DK, but occasionally in Japan and daily/weekly here in the States (and we have lived in several daily places). Don't people go to the bathroom here?? Geez. Everyone needs a plunger next to their toilet, but hey, that shouldn't be standard!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I remember being in Paris, though, and hearing the cleaning trucks in the very early morning. But yes, I am always astounded -astounded- when I see dog owners picking up their dog's poop (YUCK!) and walking around with it for what seems like forever. In Denmark originally we had sand bins for dogs to poop in before those bags and scoopers became in, but still you'll find dog poop on the ground (unheard of here). I remember clearly when I was small that dog dirt would stay in the street until it finally went white and crumbled away (I was close to the ground and watched the progress of the disintegration as Mum and I went shopping each day). Now the streets are pretty clean and almost everyone carries bags. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RecumbentHeart Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Paid for with your tax dollars.... There are anti-litter signs all over Texas. In fact, Texas' anti-litter campaign was the model of success for other states. I've found Texas and New Mexico to be the least spendy state I've lived in. Here, out of sheer snobbery, people won't go to discount stores. Yet they swoon over IKEA because it's so EUROPEAN... I do remember that about Texas and yet still Austin was a shocking mess in most parts I saw and if it's one of the least spendy states I'm sure glad it was my first experience to warm me up to the rest of the country. I would consider it a more preferable way to spend tax dollars than many of the other things they are being spent on :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) still you'll find dog poop on the ground (unheard of here). Er, come to my neighborhood. Not everyone bothers. Certainly not after their cats. And we have goose poop in the parks, and believe me no one's picking that up! I do think various cultural attitudes towards cleaning up public areas is VERY interesting. I, for example, find it very hard to just toss my trash on a road -- even a road littered with junk everywhere, but after a while of hauling trash for blocks and blocks and getting tired of holding some sticky food wrapper, I confess that I have done it (with great regret) a few times. Edited October 22, 2009 by stripe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Mmmm Carnegie Deli :drool5: Amen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre in GA Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I'm a former NY'er and am prepared for about anything, but the piles of poop were just beyond me. (NY'ers are pretty careful about picking up after their dogs - not necessarily picking up after themselves).:confused: i'm in my mid-fifties and can remember a time in NY when this was NOT true. dog poop was on the sidewalk everywhere and would stay until it dried to small, white, powdery sculptures. as kids we would pounce on them to watch the dust fly.i remember some comedian quipping that someone in Manhattan was going around putting little white surrender flags in the mounds in capitulation to their omnipresence. finally, the pooper scooper laws were passed and now dog poop in NY is pretty much a ziplock bag memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 ... pooper scooper laws were passed and now dog poop in NY is pretty much a ziplock bag memory. Ah, but there it is: we put the poop in plastic bags and throw them into the landfill. Not advocating leaving feces littering the streetways or anything because that certainly can't be healthy, but its poop - and we put it in plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I will say though that some things shocked me about the United States when I came here: 1. graffiti. It was almost unheard of in Japan when I lived there. 2. school children telling the teacher "no". The first time a child told me that as a new teacher, I almost fell over in shock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (Things may have changed) When we lived in Sicily 25 years ago: No central air- some Americans used swamp coolers, the Sicilians had metallic roll down blinds that covered all of the windows and french doors. You opened up the windows at night and closed everything down in the hottest parts of the day. No screens on windows or doors. No central heat- portable electric or kerosene heaters. No wall to wall carpeting anywhere. Very little imported exotic foods- very hard to find except on military bases. Very few "convenience" foods. No fast food restaurants. This was not necessarily a bad thing, Sicilian cooking is to die for. No airconditioning, air bags, or seat belts in the cars. Definitely no video or dvd players, or gps systems. Very expensive gas, ration cards for gas and cigarettes. Very small refrigerators. Very few supermarkets. No showers with shower curtains- sometimes you had a flexible shower head thingy next to the tub faucet. No built in storage of any kind- cupboards or closets. Each such thing is counted as a "room" and taxed. So you buy//bring your own cabinets and wardrobes when you move into a place. All appliances and furniture tended to be smaller in size than american. Very little electronic equipment owned by the general public. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Ah, but there it is: we put the poop in plastic bags and throw them into the landfill. Not advocating leaving feces littering the streetways or anything because that certainly can't be healthy, but its poop - and we put it in plastic. Many people buy biodegradable plastic bags. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Ah yes, much better to buy new bags! The plastic bag industry congratulates itself on the fact that people reuse their bags for such activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Ah yes, much better to buy new bags! The plastic bag industry congratulates itself on the fact that people reuse their bags for such activities. I'm curious what you'd suggest. Should I make reusable ones and then compost it in the special doggy compost thing... I can buy... that you install into the ground? I thought I was "good" just making it so that others don't step in it... and it doesn't get into the water supply... Carrie:confused::confused::confused::confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravengal Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 We have no dishwasher, garbage disposal, or air conditioner, and dh and I grew up in the US. I remember that my grandparents didn't get a dishwasher, central air, or a microwave until they were in their late 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 I'm curious what you'd suggest. Should I make reusable ones and then compost it in the special doggy compost thing... I can buy... that you install into the ground? I thought I was "good" just making it so that others don't step in it... and it doesn't get into the water supply... Carrie:confused::confused::confused::confused: I think the irony is that there is no good answer to something as simple and natural and common and normal as...poop. In America, we spend money on stuff to put it in and throw it in a land fill, in other countries it lies around in the streets. No good answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGin Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 I think the irony is that there is no good answer to something as simple and natural and common and normal as...poop. In America, we spend money on stuff to put it in and throw it in a land fill, in other countries it lies around in the streets. No good answer. FWIW: I found a pretty good answer. I buy biodegradable bags at Pet Smart. They are not expensive and I feel much better about putting them in the trash. On the cultural difference thing, 10 years ago when I was in Romania, I was appalled at the garbage laying everywhere, piled up and left in huge mounds and filling every empty space. I realize the infrastructure was in horrible shape as this was only a decade after communisim fell, but still, it was awful. When I got home (Oregon) the first thing I noticed was how clean our roads and streets were in comparison. I guess it's all a matter of perspective. I do not take these things for granted but I am very glad to live in a country where flush toilets, urban sanitation systems, decent roads, privacy and elbow room are the standard. Sometimes when I hear people talking about how nice it is that Europeans and others walk or ride bikes everywhere, I close my eyes and remember driving across Eastern Washington from about Biggs to Spokane. Mile after mile, after endless mile of pretty much nothing and this is only one small corner of our immense country. My friends in Slovakia can drive 3 hours and go through 3 countries easily. Get outside the urban areas of the US and you are looking at a stink'n lot of space, not exactly set up for walking or bike riding to buy groceries or get to church. I think it's important to keep in view that just because we have room for large houses, or use clothes dryers or dishwashers does not make us wasteful or greedy by default. We should and do share our abundance, but we should not feel guilty for using with gratefulness what we have. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Major difference I noticed was the assumed right to create as much waste as necessary in the name of convenience and to suggest otherwise was almost a carnal sin so I would be looking at ppl like "what on earth is wrong with you!?" and they would be looking at me like "what on earth is wrong with you!?". I grew up being taught to conserve, to think of the environment - it's in public school, it's on the television - consider the waterways, pick up trash, recycle, take the bus, ride a bike, turn off the water when you brush your teeth .. on and on and on and on from birth .. .. and then I arrive in America and about die of horror. :svengo: Yes! We've just come back from holiday there and I couldn't get over the disposable EVERYTHING. A friend that we stayed with was greener than most and still her garbage amount was quite something to behold. It's a very strong consumer culture. Much more so than here. Both in goods, and in energy: power and gas. Those huge cars!! Dryers are not generally used, even when it's cold and damp a lot. We don't own one because they are bad for the environment. I can however understand that if it snows for part of the year, you need something to dry your clothes! We don't get snow. I found Los Angeles freeways dirty, litter all along the road, blech! People use sprinklers for their lawns there, our lawn is dead all summer. Oh the luxury of no water restrictions! I'd have the BEST vege garden!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Well there are all kinds of things I could name but one of the first things I noticed is lack of hot water None of the bathroom sinks have hot water (my dh had to learn shave with cold water) The kitchen sinks do not have hot water (we have to wash dishes with cold water or heat it on the stove first) The washing machine does not have hot water ( your clothes do net get as clean) The showers have this little gadget that you have to turn on about 20 minutes BEFORE you shower if you want ANY hot water and even then, you better shower FAST! The good news is, it is so hot here that I don't even WANT a hot shower. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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