Over the past 11 months I have developed some habits that may not be natural to others in America. Here are 11 of them.
1. Is this water safe to drink?
I have not drank water from the faucet if it hasn’t been boiled since leaving America. When I am a guest at someone’s house I always ask before drinking the water if it has been boiled or if it came from a bottle.
2.Throwing toilet paper in the trash can.
Most countries don’t have sewer systems that are good enough to have toilet paper flushed down them. In the beginning it was hard for me to remember toilet paper belongs in the trash can and now it has just become a natural thing to me.
3.Using clothes as a napkin.
Surprisingly napkins have been hard to come by. However, clothes have become a very convenient substitute for a napkin. Now even when there is a napkin available I have caught myself wiping my hands on my clothes.
4. Does this shirt smell to bad for me to wear again?
I may have worn a shirt 5 or more times before washing it. Why? Well there are times where I haven’t felt like paying to get my laundry done. There have also been times where I have just been to lazy to hand wash my clothes so I have just worn something dirty even if it has food or dirt on it from the last wear.
5. Acting out what you are trying to explain to someone who doesn’t speak English.
Charades is fun to play. It’s even more fun when you are extremely good at it. After acting out things I am trying to communicate almost everyday for the past 10 ½ months I have become pretty good at it. If you ever need someone to play Charades I will be a great partner. In fact a lot of people who have been on The Race would probably be good partners.
6. Seeing someone who looks American and just staring at them.
I have done this so many times. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’m staring until I meet their eyes and the awkwardness happens. You don’t meet a lot of people who speak fluent English or look American very often so when it happens I can’t help but look at them.
7.Greeting people with a kiss on the cheek.
It’s been a thing for all 11 countries. If I greet you like this just let it happen.
8. Do you have WiFi?
We don’t always have WiFi at the place we are staying. So when we want to go get WiFi we tend to ask the people who work at a place first if they have WiFi before committing to the place. It’s going to be weird to have a phone again that works all the time and not just with WiFi.
9. Will you take 50?
Bargaining it’s a thing around the world. They offer to give you something for 120 but then you offer a lower price and you meet somewhere in the middle. I really want to walk into Walmart one day and get to a cashier and try to bargain and see their reaction.
10. What is that in USD?
The only countries that have used USD are Cambodia and Ecuador. So when I want to buy something I have to calculate what it would be in USD and figure out if I really want to spend that much.
11.Packing up every 3 weeks and moving.
At first it was weird unpacking and then having to pack everything up again 3 weeks later. However, now the thought of being in the same place for more than 3 weeks at a time seems weird to me. For the summer I will stay in the same place for close to 2 months and I’m wondering how that is going to feel again.
