Update: Later this week I will start posting some cool places to visit in different countries. It will go along with a travel destination resource page I created for the
Border Beat online news magazine. I'll try to comment on cultural differences I encountered but be advised that some of the future posts might stray from my blog topic a little. I'll let you know by labeling them "Travel: Name of Place."
Monday, March 30, 2009
Bathrooms
Toilets are a necessity in the 10 states I have visited in the U.S. They come in all different colors but there is always a standard design whether it's an outhouse or a luxury bathroom.
I have found out this isn't always the case in other countries. Problem such as an inconsistent water supply have resulted in some interesting, and at times disgusting, solutions. In addition, the design the U.S. has adopted isn't always what you will find while traveling. This can be quite confusing for a tourist, especially if you don't speak the language of the locals. If you are planning on traveling it might be helpful to research the bathroom situation before you go to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation!
Here are some interesting sites I found when I did that:
Japanese Toilets"
This is a great site with photos of what to expect when you travel to Japan. I've never been there but I thought there were some pretty innovative ideas, such as a toilet paper vending machine. I'm accustomed to seeing people asking for a few pesos in exchange for a couple squares of TP in Mexico, but Japan just took that to the next level!
U.S. Toilet Guide
I always thought the most sensible toilet was the one I used myself but this site showed me that ours may confuse foreigners. This page explains things like automatic flushing and proper terms to use when asking where the restroom is. Check out some of the other pages that discuss cultural differences. It makes you think about what an outsider has to do to understand some of the most basic activities in our country.
Lastly, here's a video of some girls traveling in Central America. Although the design is usually pretty similar to ours, sometimes these girls ran into some really oddly placed toilets. The audio is only helpful to hear where they are and Part Six goes on for more than two minutes. That bathroom is interesting because one of the girls was washing her hair when the water randomly went out.
CAUTIONARY NOTE: THIS IS KIND OF GROSS
So be advised that when you travel in a new country you might get confused by the toilet customs...be prepared to have an open mind and try not to offend anyone with your reaction if you get presented with a new type of toilet!
I have found out this isn't always the case in other countries. Problem such as an inconsistent water supply have resulted in some interesting, and at times disgusting, solutions. In addition, the design the U.S. has adopted isn't always what you will find while traveling. This can be quite confusing for a tourist, especially if you don't speak the language of the locals. If you are planning on traveling it might be helpful to research the bathroom situation before you go to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation!
Here are some interesting sites I found when I did that:
Japanese Toilets"
This is a great site with photos of what to expect when you travel to Japan. I've never been there but I thought there were some pretty innovative ideas, such as a toilet paper vending machine. I'm accustomed to seeing people asking for a few pesos in exchange for a couple squares of TP in Mexico, but Japan just took that to the next level!
U.S. Toilet Guide
I always thought the most sensible toilet was the one I used myself but this site showed me that ours may confuse foreigners. This page explains things like automatic flushing and proper terms to use when asking where the restroom is. Check out some of the other pages that discuss cultural differences. It makes you think about what an outsider has to do to understand some of the most basic activities in our country.
Lastly, here's a video of some girls traveling in Central America. Although the design is usually pretty similar to ours, sometimes these girls ran into some really oddly placed toilets. The audio is only helpful to hear where they are and Part Six goes on for more than two minutes. That bathroom is interesting because one of the girls was washing her hair when the water randomly went out.
CAUTIONARY NOTE: THIS IS KIND OF GROSS
So be advised that when you travel in a new country you might get confused by the toilet customs...be prepared to have an open mind and try not to offend anyone with your reaction if you get presented with a new type of toilet!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Personal Space
Sorry about the hiatus to all my avid readers, I have been busy with all of my other classes lately. But I am back and promise to keep up with all of my posts. I'll even try to do some extra ones to make up for lost time!
I just got back to Tucson from Spring Break! It was the last one of my undergrad career so I decided to go out with a bang and head to Los Angeles to visit some friends at LMU. It was great but after the first night I wished I had my own hotel room. There were at least 12 people in a three bedroom house each night, and sometimes that number was higher. It got me thinking about how uncomfortable it can be when someone invades my personal space. That made me start thinking about how different my expectations are in terms of a "personal bubble" when I'm in a different country. For example, when I wait in line at an ATM in the U.S. I stand several feet away from the person who is using the machine. In many countries this custom is not recognized and Americans are often forced out of their comfort zones because of it. Check out this photo of my brother, Phil, at an ATM in Xcalak, Mexico. The local kids were curious and their parents didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the way their obsession over the ATM screen.
I had a great time watching from afar as my big brother tried to get money out of an ATM that didn't have any money in it while shielding his pin number from these curious kids. The whole point though is that all countries don't have the same expectations when it comes to personal space.
This video is just some guys talking about "Man Laws" and personal space. It made me realize that nobody has the same expectations when it comes to space, no matter where you're from. I hope you laugh as much as I did when I first saw it!
Below is a video with a professional talking about space etiquette in the U.S.
I just got back to Tucson from Spring Break! It was the last one of my undergrad career so I decided to go out with a bang and head to Los Angeles to visit some friends at LMU. It was great but after the first night I wished I had my own hotel room. There were at least 12 people in a three bedroom house each night, and sometimes that number was higher. It got me thinking about how uncomfortable it can be when someone invades my personal space. That made me start thinking about how different my expectations are in terms of a "personal bubble" when I'm in a different country. For example, when I wait in line at an ATM in the U.S. I stand several feet away from the person who is using the machine. In many countries this custom is not recognized and Americans are often forced out of their comfort zones because of it. Check out this photo of my brother, Phil, at an ATM in Xcalak, Mexico. The local kids were curious and their parents didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with the way their obsession over the ATM screen.
I had a great time watching from afar as my big brother tried to get money out of an ATM that didn't have any money in it while shielding his pin number from these curious kids. The whole point though is that all countries don't have the same expectations when it comes to personal space.
This video is just some guys talking about "Man Laws" and personal space. It made me realize that nobody has the same expectations when it comes to space, no matter where you're from. I hope you laugh as much as I did when I first saw it!
Below is a video with a professional talking about space etiquette in the U.S.
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