Things That Are Different Here
This is a list of observed differences between Europe and the U.S. I do not editorialize on them, just list them.
- Dry cleaner tags are stapled on to places like the piece of pocket that is inside of the pants or to the collar tag on the shirts. The staples have a unique shape that allows them to be removed with your fingers.
- Workmen and workwomen, e.g.: street cleaners, building supers, construction workers, where overalls.
- They clean the glass panes in the streetlights in the public parks.
- They cut the grass in the public parks, rake the grass and leaves, and dispose of it.
- They don't starch mens' shirts. My salesperson at Joseph A. Banks in Memphis said that starched dress shirts is an American thing.
- In newer hotels, one must place your room key card in a slot on the wall to turn the electricity on.
- Building floors are numbered differently. First floor in the U.S. is zero or main floor here. Second floor in the U.S. is the first floor here.
- Copier and printer paper is taller and narrower. 8.3" x 11.7".
- They use 2 hole punch paper not 3.
- They don't use file folders to store paperwork.
- Time is in 24 hour or military time. No a.m. or p.m.
- Restaurant napkins often are as thin as tissue paper.
- Diet drinks are called "lite".
- Name Day takes the place of birthdays for older people. Each day on a Polish calendar has the name(s) of people on them. Most everyone is named after one of these people. When this day comes around they celebrate their name day by sharing food or candy.
- You have to ask for ketchup w/ your French fries and often have to pay for it. Even in McDonalds. (Not that I go there, of course.)
- You pay your restaurant tip in cash%
posted by Brian @ 8:22 AM
4 Comments:
"milk stacked on the shelves without refrigeration."
What keeps it from going bad?
What is the shelf life?
It's pasteurized and homogenized and the box is made the special way, too...
Brian, they once had skimmed milk (0% fat) available but it was not very popular amongst the Polish people so they removed it from the market, at least for now.
About namedays... It is true that they become a substitute of birthdays for older people so they do not have to reveal their age :-) But in some parts of Poland, e.g. Silesia where my family comes from, only birthdays are celebrated, regardless of age! NO ONE celebrates nameday there!
about starched shirts....I am quite surprised to hear that. We do use starch. They may not ask about your preferences when you are turning your shirts in so, while visiting dry cleaners you just need to specify you would like them to use it on your shirts. I do that at my dry cleaner. I must agree that we don't use heavy starch on the entire shirt. We usually heavy starch only cuffs and collar. After all if you still feel that your shirt is not starched enough you can buy it in the store and use it yourself. In a short note I would not want to offend anybody but heavy starched shirts are a little bit out of style. ;-) Patryk
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