1. Dryers -- This means all laundry must air dry. I'm sure this is great for the environment but I'm not so sure this is great for me. This means you must take into consideration the time needed for air drying when you are getting close to your last pair of socks. It also means all of your underwear has that stiff air dried jeans feeling.
2. Shower curtains -- This means all showers create a minor flood in the bathroom. This is viewed as perfectly normal. Everyone just keeps an extra towel beside the shower to wipe up all the water when you are finished showering.
3. No smoking sections -- Everyone here smokes and they smoke everywhere. I am already getting used to all of my clothes and possessions smelling like smoke. Apparently there are random crackdowns on smoking (particularly around the computers) in the WiB office. So far, I have not seen this but I have been forewarned. Just when I think I am completely adapted to this aspect someone blows smoke into my face just as my mouth is open to take another bite of my pizza. It adds a whole new meaning to exotic food flavors.
4. Convenience stores -- Everything is in small stores and stands. Each store specializes in one or two products. There aren't any ma and pop stores that carry a little bit of everything or any Walmarts, Targets or Kmarts that carry lots of everything. This means I have no idea where I would find the basic things such as batteries, dish soap, toilet paper, etc.
I'm sure more of these little discoveries will be added as time passes.
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9 comments:
....and no mom or dad to go get it for you! There's no place like home, but we sre hopeful you can find a functional toilet and the tp store too. Necessity is the mother of invention and the father of finding. Ha, ha. Janet, seems to me she is getting a taste of camping in the Northern wilds without being there! I am sure Marcus has an eternal piece of wisdom he can add to this blog to help others in dire straits!! Love to all, mom
i bet if you did open a toilet paper stand you would make a ton of money! do they have shower doors or do you just stand there in the open?! Wow your horizons are expanding ALL THE TIME, and I am so excited for you :0)
p.s. at least you found some pizza.
Miss Katie,
I am disappointed that in 24 years of living with the parental units (give or take a few) you didn't pick up on the importance of necessities. I'm surprised you haven't learned to take rolls and rolls of tp with you when you travel.(Re: Road trip out west 2007) Unfortunately, your ma and pa cannot drive them to you. HOWEVER, there are solutions to all of your problems. Install a bar to hang all of your clothes on as you shower. This will save money on washing clothes and give you a change of clothes each time you shower(or not depending on frequency of showers.) You then can purchase the Serbian Times and recycle your reading material as tp to match that stiff air dried feeling. OR, when you get settled and have a legitimate address, I can send some delicacies from back home...rice,beans,IQF chicken(it should be thawed by the time it arrives) and home made "czech" mix. Of course, tp will be used as packing and insulation material. Dealing with all of these minor irritations will prepare you for future adventures. Take care.
P.I.
Wisdom is best left to the wise. The only thing I can add is "Listen to your mom."
OOPS! Sorry! Eventually I'll figure out how to comment properly.
What I meant to say was-"Listen to your mom...then do what dad says."
according to my limited experience, shower curtains may indeed be something that other cultures do not value as highly as ours does... in hong kong there was no shower curtain, and even though the room was private, i still didn't manage to overcome the feeling of vulnerability and out-of-place-ness until the second month. there's hope, katie!
Ewwwww! No one likes reeking of smoke,sweat...Soak smoky clothes in a baking soda solution before they hit the washing machine. Or, if you're pressed for time, sprinkle it on clothing for a quick odor mask, and wash when you get a chance.
Shoes can smwll a bit iffy after you've been wearing them all day. Once you've kicked them off, stick a small cloth pouch of baking soda in the toe overnight to tame any icky odors.
Hahhahaha...I have nothing to add. You've got quite the comment roll going on here! :)
Love and miss you dearly.
kt. this no toilet paper experience will only prepare you for your trip to the boundary waters when you get back :) just like your mom says... haha. i suggest looking for items that can be used as t.p. which is many... sticks, pine cones, wrappers, etc. just be optimistic... oh and if you use a pinecone.. make sure there is no sap (unless you want your buttcheaks to stick together) and go with the grain... (unlessyou want an incredibly painful experience)
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