Day One
Here are a few of the things that I find strange, extroidinary or just different about being back in the United States:
-Washing my hands with hot water in the bathrooms
-Seeing an 8 year old blond-haired girl with a shirt that read "Buy me something" on the front and on the back of it is said "And I'll be happy." What does that say about the American mentality?
-I couldn't say "coffee with cream" when trying to order a cafe con leche. It just wouldn't come out. And I really had to restrain myself from asking "Caunto vale?" and saying "Muchas Gracias," "Por Favor" and "Disculpe" as well.
-Reading signs in English is not only strange, it's just plain weird.
-Customer Service: On this point I praise the U.S. A smiling airline representative was waiting directly outside of customs to help direct passengers. Another helpful lady kindly walked me through the process of checking-in since my ticket set-up was a little bit weird. And then when I had to wait 15 minutes at the gate desk because of a few complications the lady kept saying "I'm so sorry for the delay." She must have said it like 8 times in those 15 minutes and in the end she got everything perfectly worked out. Not to mention that the people who served me coffee we're both smiling AND they got my order correct.
-Drinking a glass of water directly from the tap... I really enjoyed that.
-In the Seattle airport one message said something to the effect: "The Seattle Bay police and fire department would like to remind you that they are here to serve you. In case of an emergency please call 911." (Not exactly the type of message you would hear in Guatemala, either or over the intercom or when you arrive to the station with a real problem)
-On the plane they thoroughly checked to make sure everyone had their seatbelts on and after landing when one person started to get up early they made an announcement for everyone to please sit down. It amazes me how much fear we as a society have when we are already so safety conscious. If half those people could only ride just once on a chicken bus…
-Sitting on the plane I almost cried when I saw transactions taking place in dollars instead of Quetzales. I almost cried as well at my last breakfast of frijoles and huevos in Guatemala. Especially since there was this girl at the breakfast table with me who referring to her frijoles said “I just can’t eat this shit anymore.” She decided she didn’t want to drink her coffee either. It’s just shows so much disrespect and ungratefulness to a host country to say something like that…why couldn’t she have just left the unwanted food on her plate?
-Receiving hot hot coffee, not just luke-warm coffee or hot coffee, but hot hot coffee. The one particular cup I am thinking of came at just the right moment when I needed a little bit of comfort.
-Putting toilet paper in the toilet. I keep having to remind myself that it’s okay to do that.
-Washing my hands with hot water in the bathrooms
-Seeing an 8 year old blond-haired girl with a shirt that read "Buy me something" on the front and on the back of it is said "And I'll be happy." What does that say about the American mentality?
-I couldn't say "coffee with cream" when trying to order a cafe con leche. It just wouldn't come out. And I really had to restrain myself from asking "Caunto vale?" and saying "Muchas Gracias," "Por Favor" and "Disculpe" as well.
-Reading signs in English is not only strange, it's just plain weird.
-Customer Service: On this point I praise the U.S. A smiling airline representative was waiting directly outside of customs to help direct passengers. Another helpful lady kindly walked me through the process of checking-in since my ticket set-up was a little bit weird. And then when I had to wait 15 minutes at the gate desk because of a few complications the lady kept saying "I'm so sorry for the delay." She must have said it like 8 times in those 15 minutes and in the end she got everything perfectly worked out. Not to mention that the people who served me coffee we're both smiling AND they got my order correct.
-Drinking a glass of water directly from the tap... I really enjoyed that.
-In the Seattle airport one message said something to the effect: "The Seattle Bay police and fire department would like to remind you that they are here to serve you. In case of an emergency please call 911." (Not exactly the type of message you would hear in Guatemala, either or over the intercom or when you arrive to the station with a real problem)
-On the plane they thoroughly checked to make sure everyone had their seatbelts on and after landing when one person started to get up early they made an announcement for everyone to please sit down. It amazes me how much fear we as a society have when we are already so safety conscious. If half those people could only ride just once on a chicken bus…
-Sitting on the plane I almost cried when I saw transactions taking place in dollars instead of Quetzales. I almost cried as well at my last breakfast of frijoles and huevos in Guatemala. Especially since there was this girl at the breakfast table with me who referring to her frijoles said “I just can’t eat this shit anymore.” She decided she didn’t want to drink her coffee either. It’s just shows so much disrespect and ungratefulness to a host country to say something like that…why couldn’t she have just left the unwanted food on her plate?
-Receiving hot hot coffee, not just luke-warm coffee or hot coffee, but hot hot coffee. The one particular cup I am thinking of came at just the right moment when I needed a little bit of comfort.
-Putting toilet paper in the toilet. I keep having to remind myself that it’s okay to do that.
posted by Amy | 9:12 AM
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