[Culturechat] A foreigner in his own country

[Anita Killen]

Yes, a lot of people are nicer since 9/11, but there are still a lot of crazies
running around out there - especially drivers who can't stand to have a
car in
front of them and so they weave in and out of traffic and refuse to
yield.  And
the kidnappings and theft and murders and things like that are the same
as they
always were - I don't think 9/11 has changed that.  But I hardly read
the paper
anymore because my fragile mind just can't deal with the horrid stuff
going on
all over the world.  I'm doing well to do what I can to improve things
in my
own little world.

People you meet in the grocery store and other places do seem to be more polite
and considerate.

Can't comment on Boston.

In my part of the world the plastic bags are just as recyclable as paper bags.
All paper, including newspapers and junk mail get picked up at the curb.
 So do
glass and plastic #1 and #2 containers and broken down corrugated boxes.
Plastic bags go back to the grocery store and put in a recycle bin.

But the fact remains that the USA is probably the leading country in
being a
throw-away society - each generation seems to want more material goods -more
toys when they're little and bigger and better houses and cars when they're
older.

Like you say, different cultural differences.

Anita



Vance Roy wrote:

> OK, first the disclaimer. If you think me a traitor, don't bore anyone about
> it but me. You can send what you like as a private message. Some of you know
> how I like to wear my asbestos underwear.
>
> I have been in USA four days now. Am I mistaken or are people a bit nicer to
> each other since 9/11? It hit me between the eyes in Boston as I entered MY
> country again after many months. You may know that in the late 60's, I was a
> prisoner of war in Boston. Almost never left.
>
> Our country has become a multi language country since I left in 1994. There
> have been a lot of voices in the USA for a long time. I knew that already,
> but it is more apparent each time I return. What the Heck! I live in a 3/4/5
> language country anyway.
>
> Folks in RI have always been a cut above the New England "brusqueness", so
> Newport is still Newport. Mansions, great accents, wonderful traffic
> courtesy, lousy streets and sidewalks, beautiful trees and  beaches, what I
> call Rhode Island "lick and promise work", overpriced places to eat and play
> (not so bad in the off season), and I especially like it because I don't
> have to get my "Boston personality" on before I walk in somewhere.
>
> Funny though. I know folks over the whole USA that recycle. As some of you
> know, the Swiss are big on this. Today, we went to the grocery and asked for
> paper instead of plastic bags. What did we get? We got paper bags filled
> with groceries AND STUFFED INTO PLASTIC BAGS!! We just laughed.
>
> I still run around turning off lights, wonder at the amazing number of cars
> with only one person on the roads, am amazed at the great variety of goods
> in places like Walmart (One of my favorite places to waste time), don't want
> to be here if gasoline gets to be 10$ a gallon, but I cannot find a bakery
> in the whole town comparable to those Swiss places.
>
> I'll probably write more about this. I am still learning a lot about "my
> country". If you read this as unpatriotic, so be it. I don't see it that
> way. I just realize how different things can be. It is a "culture thing", I
> suppose. After all, we are still all together on the same ball.
>
> Vance Roy
> gigli.saw@dplanet.ch
>
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