Ask a foreigner

[Muttly]

We have a local people watching game... British or Gay?
Because both are actually well dressed. :p

Well, that makes sense around here since folks here dress grunge or flannel

But I like the Graham Norton version of this game: European or Gay.

I also am wondering if the electric tea kettles we have here are weaker. The one we had at my old job just wasnt that great.

 

[Mee]

I've experienced this before. It's funny because apparently quite a few people at work didn't know I was Jewish. I don't remember why it even came up, but it did. I didn't get as many questions as I sometimes. There was a lot of joking around.

The question I often get, that perplexes me the most, is "Do you celebrate Thanksgiving." (I'm in the US). Why would I not celebrate Thanksgiving? I mean, there's issues with the holiday related to Native Americans but it's not a Christian holiday.

I have lost a client when they saw me with my husband. So be it. I have a great story but can’t share here because it’s too identifying but I am staggered at the ignorance that exists still. Ignorance doesn’t necessarily mean hatred though thank goodness. I’m the daughter of a cross cultural marriage, and married a different culture too.

Thanksgiving, well, i can see it’s increasingly contentious and I know people who opt out (lol on because of Faith, though I can see why any faith might be a cause for reflection on how to commemorate anything with our increasing knowledge and awareness) . I read a beautiful peace last year with all Native American recipe suggestions. Gave great pause for reflection. I haven’t celebrated any holidays since ptsd. I am just viewing everything very differently :(

 

[Mee]

Well, that makes sense around here since folks here dress grunge or flannel

But I like the Graham Norton version of this game: European or Gay.

I also am wondering if the electric tea kettles we have here are weaker. The one we had at my old job just wasnt that great.

If comparing UK to US there is a difference; the power of electric supply. UK voltage etc is all a bit stronger.

 

[Friday]

The question I often get, that perplexes me the most, is "Do you celebrate Thanksgiving." (I'm in the US). Why would I not celebrate Thanksgiving? I mean, there's issues with the holiday related to Native Americans but it's not a Christian holiday.

:hilarious::roflmao:

There are so many possible FUN answers to this one! :sneaky: But I’m a terrible person.

....Seder dinner is when we put the evergreen in the middle of the table and decorate it with lights, right?

(Edited - For anyone who read the first version; I just get periodically paranoid that someone who has been to one of my brothers parties will join the forum. Thankfully, the editing widow was still open! :bag: )

Thanksgiving, well, i can see it’s increasingly contentious and I know people who opt out

I’ve never quite understood this. “Let’s not celebrate a time when we worked together, or when we needed your help; let’s just skip straight to the genocide, shall we? DEATH to you all!” ...Just seems a bit dark?

 

[Mee]

I’ve never quite understood this. “Let’s not celebrate a time when we worked together, or when we needed your help; let’s just skip straight to the genocide, shall we? DEATH to you all!” ...Just seems a bit dark?

I don’t know how others rationalise it. I like a good gratitude session but I don’t like that it endorses a sort of cultural gaslighting. Asypu mention England, an equivalent is some there sit out the celebration on 5th November. The name has sort of graduated from Guy Fawkes night to bonfire night.

I think the ideaoc celebration gratitude and commemorating a harm done and a will to rectify it dit’s better with me. It’s a personal stance. The last thanksgiving I celebrated was actually the night I reported the last rape, and was far from home at a friends home; I had lot to be grateful for and also a lot to think about rationalisation of behaviours. It’s more... a thought of restitution for me. I don’t know what i’ll Do next year. This year it’s nothing but I have to admit I might have flown home if family were somewhere I wanted to be. We have no invites from friends this year!

 

[Ellabella44]

Yeah new Zealand brings hobbits to mind for me as well.

 

[bellbird]

The Sheep Truck phenomenon.

If you're on the road, and there's a sudden bad smell, the first thing that springs to mind is: there must be a sheep truck around.

Is this a thing for any countries outside of hobbitville?

Also, sheep on the back of utes in supermarket carparks (though tbf you have to go fairly rural to get that).

Utes ... are they a thing for y'all, too?

 

[Innordinate]

Bad smells are very distinguishable here.
Mostly thawing cattle manure in spring or dead skunks or oil refinery smog any other time.

Vague idea what a ute is, we don't really have them here that I know of.

 

[NoWhereKnowWhere]

If you're on the road, and there's a sudden bad smell, the first thing that springs to mind is: there must be a sheep truck around.

No I think muck spreading. The farmers spraying shit on the fields for fertiliser. The smell. Dear god. The smell.

 

[Teasel]

Living in the city, bad smells are... lemme think. Spray can graffiti. Hate the smell!

Growing up, our neighbour would get a big pile of manure to fertilise his garden. And load up his wheelbarrow to take it to the back garden. Took a good while it was such a big pile.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I used to spread manure on the fields and it never smelled bad to me. It was horse manure so maybe that is less offensive.

 

[Freida]

Cows. Dairy farms are big around here - so when something stinks? It's cows. ?