Things your wife/fiancee found strange about the states

[gil-n-joy 1]

This is a funny thread.. I have my own list too.. They're not really strange, just different from what I am used to. SOme are things I appreciate very much. Some I hate.

1) Public restrooms provide toilet seat sheets so it's actually sanitary to sit on the toilet. (this was the first thing that blew my mind when I got here)

2) Soap is provided too in public restroom sinks. In the church I go to, they even have my favorite hand lotion.

3) The malls are really small. But I like that they have kids playplace that are designed with safety in mind.

4) I hate the public transport system. It takes 2 hours to go a place which you can reach in 15-30 minutes if you drive your own car. And bus stops are so far. During summer season, when temp goes to as high as 115, I think I will die of dehydration just standing outside, what more walking to a bus stop! (And we live in a city. What's up with that!)

5) Strangers you meet in the streets or while walking in the mall smile a lot. Sales people greet like they really mean to know 'how your day is going'. In the Phils, when sales people greet you at the store entrance it sounds so mechanical you just ignore them most of the time.. I still get shy because of the over-friendliness sometimes, but it is something I can get used to.

6) When my husband complains about the traffic, I feel like hitting his head. I keep reminding him of what TRAFFIC means in the Phils. As long as cars are moving that IS NOT TRAFFIC. So please stop complaining.

7) My husband comlains too of how LONG a drive going to a place which is 30 minutes away. Again, where bad traffic is non-existent, there is no place that is too far to drive at all (at least in my opinion).

8) About friendly strangers, they also gush at how cute your toddler is as if they're long-lost relatives or neighbors. I am so not used to the friendliness sometimes I smile sheepishly and try to wheel away slowly my little one.

9) YOu can park in your driveway which does not have a gate.

10) You can call the cops about your noisy neighbors.

[gretchen_darren 67]

but one thing that really amazed me -- an almost a 100 year old ppl can still ride a tractor and combine and drive a freaking truck. =)

If they didn't drive the truck, it would be the tractor, the combine, or the lawn mower into town.....

[TiklingGuy 211]

Just where in my post did I say we live in a typical american town? I mentioned military dicounts, is that typical? You are the one who started throwing out stereotypes, (hick).

Numerous other posters had added to my list and said how much they enjoyed the post. Many of their comments were different than mine, and that is great. However, one poster (you), came on board playing arrogant, and all knowing. Even in your second post, you couldn't resist throwing in the "population 37" comment.

Fact: There are more than 17,000 employees on the military installation where I am employed.

Fact: Another 35,000 live in the city associated with the installation.

Fact: Our city is known as the "International City", due to the cultural diversity. My neighbor is a Vietnamese Engineer, two houses down is a Japanese doctor, across the street is an Lockheed Martin engineer married to a Korean.

Where my wife is from is irrelevant to the discussion, but spent her childhood in Bacolod and adult life in Las Pinas.

Who gives a damn what is representative of the country as a whole? The discussion was about first impressions, or are your reading skills as poor as your manners.

, ya you get three of them!

[magdasal 19]

Very strange you feel the need to repeatedly cast this bait. Weren't you thread banned for posting something very similar on the "you might be Filipina" thread?

I believe this is what they call 'trolling'...

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

I believe this is what they call 'trolling'...

This is more akin to "baiting". LI hasn't graduated to troll yet. Still an amatuer.

[thekfc 26]

Regarding the ones highlighted in red above, where do you guys live? I don't know of any bank that doesn't require a filled out deposit or withdrawal slip.

Citibank here in NYC - no slips or envelope required.

[sweetpink 1]

McDonald here in US don't have spaghetti nor fried chicken I used to call chicken sandwich as chicken burger(that's how we say it in Philippines)

[warayakoh 1]

One more thing I forgot lol. Sun still up at 8:00pm or so . That's the best part hahaha.

[warayakoh 1]

DRIVE IN Theater.

[momsjourney 6]

5) Strangers you meet in the streets or while walking in the mall smile a lot. Sales people greet like they really mean to know 'how your day is going'. In the Phils, when sales people greet you at the store entrance it sounds so mechanical you just ignore them most of the time.. I still get shy because of the over-friendliness sometimes, but it is something I can get used to.

8) About friendly strangers, they also gush at how cute your toddler is as if they're long-lost relatives or neighbors. I am so not used to the friendliness sometimes I smile sheepishly and try to wheel away slowly my little one.

Those are fake smiles ..

[gil-n-joy 1]

Those are fake smiles ..

For sure there are fake smiles and real smiles.. I guess human nature remains the same whatever part of the world we are in, right? I'd like to believe I have encountered sincere smiles both in the Phils and here in US. And I appreciate them both.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Very strange you feel the need to repeatedly cast this bait. Weren't you thread banned for posting something very similar on the "you might be Filipina" thread?

What the HELL does that have to do with anything?

Would I be violating the TOS if I encourage other posters to join me in reporting LI's transparent attempts to derail our regional threads with this kind of ####### in hopes that he will be banned from the PH Regional Subforum?

[Ban Hammer 12,848]

there's one gone.

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

Would I be violating the TOS if I encourage other posters to join me in reporting LI's transparent attempts to derail our regional threads with this kind of ####### in hopes that he will be banned from the PH Regional Subforum?

You obviously succeeded.

[oliver-chris 3]

:star:nice

Edited July 27, 2011 by oliver-chris