Cross-Cultural Living

There have been few things that have surprised me more in all of my travels than the differences in washing dishes. I guess I expect cultural differences in the definitions of such things as:

• Friendship
• Politeness

But I guess I never imagined were so many ways to wash dirty dishes.  I first learned to wash dishes to earn Brownie points for a Brownie Good Housekeeping badge.  This was fairly easy.

Let’s Count The Different Ways

When I moved to Europe, I first worked with Malaysians.  This was where I learned to wash dishes in a slightly different way.

Of course I got into my own habits and developed a third way to wash dishes.

It was when I got married to a Frenchman that I had to learn a 4th way to was dishes.  And not all members of my newly acquired French family washed dishes the same way.

This was when I learned it was best to ask the lady of the house, just how she washed her dishes.

I think I tallied up 6 different ways by this stage.  That was about 15 years ago.

And later on, water problems in my own house got me into using other dish washing procedures.

Now I know you probably what me to give all of the details on how I could possibly clean dishes 7 different ways… well 8, if I count cleaning dishes on the beach…

…but when I got count in the cross-fire between two sisters about how best to clean dishes the fun went out of remembering all the details.  I found the number more interesting to remember… and the people’s reactions or reasons behind their washing methods.

The actual differences in the ways of washing dishes are anecdotal.

How Can There Be So Many Differences?

But how do people come up with different ways of washing dishes?

You see, first there are various personal ways how people use:

• Their water
• Their dish rag, cloth, sponge or even a stick thingy
• Their sink or double sinks
• Their soap or liquid cleaner

And then, there are also different concerns for hygiene.  How you clean dishes in a hot weather country is different from a cold weather country.

And then, there is the difference in how different cultures respect the use of water differently.

So there are a few cultural differences involved.

Common Ground In Being Different

And then there is one cultural similarity I noticed:

Most people like to do things their own way in their own house.

Brush up your international skills…
Read more on Cross-Cultural Living:

• 92 Ways To Say Happy New Year
• Can Flat Stanley Spend A Day With You?
• Card Giving In Different Cultures
• Cultural Differences Even In Washing Dishes
• Cultural IQ
• Differences In Copywriting Job Titles In French
• Different Names In The World
• Don’t Confuse Sales Method With Your Product Or Service
• Example Of Cultural Differences In Italian Politics
• Foreign Film Festival
• It’s All About The Offer – Let’s Refuel America!
• Living In A Multicultural America
• Motivation To Travel?
• The Cross-Cultural Classroom
• Twestival 2009 Across The Globe

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Cultural Differences Even In Washing Dishes