Culture Shock

[Liberty Belle]

I've seen some gaps around here that are more like this __________________. or even this _________________________. Why do they even put a door up?


I call it the "Wow, I'll go somewhere else to use the bathroom" type of bathroom

Yikes! Those are big gaps. It would be hard not to have movement, colors, etc catch your eye! Then you would look without meaning to.

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

I work with quite a few folks from West Africa; it's always kind of amusing to see them the first fall that they are here ... wearing three shirts, a jacket, a hat and gloves when it's 55 degrees out.

Yes! Anytime it gets down in the 80's here you will see people walking around with big thick jackets. Cracks me up! Of course when we went back to the U.S. in mid Nov-mid Dec this year (after having been here 18 months) I thought I was going to die I was so cold the whole time!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Sooo my big question now is: Do Brits ever try on clothes here in the US? A lot LESS privacy than in restrooms in many places, and even communal dressing areas in some of the crowded bargain stores. While I've never been "visited" by someone's child in the restroom, it's happened to me multiple times while trying on clothes.

And am I offending foreign peeps at the salvage/overstock/designer bargain/thrift stores when I try on clothes (I wear tights, a skirt and a base level t-shirt or cami) in an open area because the store has no dressing rooms?

 

[Sundancer UK]

dressing rooms are different though, ours are usually separated by a curtain, and we sometimes get communal ones too. I don't mind that nearly so much as someone seeing me spend a penny!

 

[coffeeandfags]

Sooo my big question now is: Do Brits ever try on clothes here in the US? A lot LESS privacy than in restrooms in many places, and even communal dressing areas in some of the crowded bargain stores. While I've never been "visited" by someone's child in the restroom, it's happened to me multiple times while trying on clothes.

And am I offending foreign peeps at the salvage/overstock/designer bargain/thrift stores when I try on clothes (I wear tights, a skirt and a base level t-shirt or cami) in an open area because the store has no dressing rooms?

Ive only ever tried on clothes in Wet Seals and their changing rooms were ok ... but there was only me and DD in there anyway.
We generally guess at sizes in the US

Most UK stores, even the thrift stores (we call them Charity shops) have dressing rooms, but as Sundancer says, they generally dont have doors, only curtains.

And talking of shops ....... i love it in the US when the store assistants say "have a nice day" If a UK store assistant said that, i'd possibly pass out from shock!! As a rule, they are more interested in chatting to other store assistants about what they did at the weekend / boyfriends / other blah stuff!!
Waiting staff in restaurants, ditto!!
I know in the US the waiting staff are relying on tips so "have" to be nice and attendant, but customer service here in the UK leaves a LOT to be desired!!!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

The Nigerian one is cracking me up! (But FYI there is a lot of vulgar stuff that I have just skipped over, as PP said the poster there seems very young)

"Mine was back in the early 90s. Me and my friend were walking hand in hand on a major street in Chicago. We noticed that people were starring at us but did not think much of it. When I got home and asked my uncle why people were starring at us, he burst out laughing explaining to me that people thought we were gay partners. I wished the ground had opened up and swallowed me that moment."

The first time a West African man grabbed my husbands hand as they were walking I wish I had taken a picture of his face! It is very normal practice here, but you never see a man and women walking hand in hand; that would be very inappropriate!

These ones really made me laugh too:
"Very first time I visited---had the opportunity of working in a Nigerian restuarant in Houston Texas for some holiday job money with my aunt's Shola Shola # of course. Stout, Heineken and Malt were served and I started collecting the bottles in one corner, instead of throwing them in the trash.

The owner of the place had to tell me "This is not Nigeria ok? We do not save used bottles here" . Felt very humiliated then. Now it is funny to me."

"lol at the person who collected beer bottles in a restaurant,

Till today my mother collects plastic bags when she is in the U.S (and this woman is a seasoned traveller!). Then she uses it for dustbin at home in Lagos."

West African seem to save and reuse almost everything and I am now doing it too!

 

[Sundancer UK]

And talking of shops ....... i love it in the US when the store assistants say "have a nice day" If a UK store assistant said that, i'd possibly pass out from shock!! As a rule, they are more interested in chatting to other store assistants about what they did at the weekend / boyfriends / other blah stuff!!
Waiting staff in restaurants, ditto!!
I know in the US the waiting staff are relying on tips so "have" to be nice and attendant, but customer service here in the UK leaves a LOT to be desired!!!

So true! I look forward to a bit of friendly hospitality Though I must say that Asda staff often say 'have a nice weekend' - but even then I'm thinking maybe they have Walmart training...

One silly thing to add - I once had a young man at my door, I think he was checking my gas meter. He was american and when he called me 'ma'am' I swear my knees went a bit wobbly! Something about that is very nice indeed (it wasn't just because he was cute ). Women and men never get referred to as ma'am or sir here.

 

[minkydog]

Yes! Anytime it gets down in the 80's here you will see people walking around with big thick jackets. Cracks me up! Of course when we went back to the U.S. in mid Nov-mid Dec this year (after having been here 18 months) I thought I was going to die I was so cold the whole time!

This made me laugh. Our son's nurse is from Kenya and winter in Atlanta is a trial for him. This weekend we had temps in the mid-70s to 80s. Sure enough, Samuel showed up wearing a sweatshirt and his puffy winter coat. He probably won't warm up until late June.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Reminds me of my first year as a para. I was in the resource room all day long and there were two teachers who came and went. One was 50ish and going to menopause. The other was in her twenties and had just come back from spending a year in Africa (can't remember where). The one would walk in and turn the air up and the other would come in and turn the air down. Drove me crazy.

 

[coffeeandfags]

One silly thing to add - I once had a young man at my door, I think he was checking my gas meter. He was american and when he called me 'ma'am' I swear my knees went a bit wobbly! Something about that is very nice indeed (it wasn't just because he was cute ). Women and men never get referred to as ma'am or sir here.

Haha, i too love being referred to as ma'am

I also love that loads of Americans want to be Scottish! They will say things like, my mothers, brothers, nephew lives in Edinburgh .... his name is John .... do you know him?? Its just TOO cute

 

[Liberty Belle]

Haha, i too love being referred to as ma'am

I also love that loads of Americans want to be Scottish! They will say things like, my mothers, brothers, nephew lives in Edinburgh .... his name is John .... do you know him?? Its just TOO cute

As much as we love our country, we sure do romanticize other countries. And swoon over most accents. Of course Gerard Butler, et al, did nothing to stop that. lol

 

[Liberty Belle]

No stories, but a bit of interesting info:


http://sacc-usa.org/trainee/for-trainees/upon-arrival-in-the-u-s/cross-cultural-guide/

 

[Dolce27]

This made me laugh. Our son's nurse is from Kenya and winter in Atlanta is a trial for him. This weekend we had temps in the mid-70s to 80s. Sure enough, Samuel showed up wearing a sweatshirt and his puffy winter coat. He probably won't warm up until late June.

In college I worked with a guy from Kenya. He was on the school’s track team. One day in July (This is TX so think 100F outside) I was driving around campus and saw him out for a run … in sweatpants!