1. Hodite s palicami. No, to ni samo slovenska stvar, ampak tukaj sem tega videla zares veliko in zdi se mi precej smešno – zakaj bi pri hoji po ravnem uporabljali palice? Poučili so me, da je to odlična vadba za roke in da so v veliko pomoč pri pohodništvu, vzpenjanju po hribih. (Kljub temu je videti nekoliko nenavadno.)
2. Solato jeste iz iste sklede. Pravzaprav mislim, da je to najboljša ideja. O tem sem poskušala prepričati tudi mojo mamo, vendar ni bila preveč navdušena nad tem. Kljub temu se mi zdi še vedno izredno praktično, pa čeprav po drugi strani mogoče malo nehigienično.
3. Stanovanja oddajate opremljena. Čez lužo so skoraj vsa stanovanja, ki se oddajajo za daljše obdobje, neopremljena. So popolnoma prazna, kar je dobro, saj potem lahko prostore napolniš z lastnimi stvarmi, po lastnih željah. Tukaj pa je večina stanovanj opremljenih. Na koncu vidim tako pluse kot minuse za to. Dobro je seveda to, da ti ni treba zapravljati denarja za kavč. Slabo pa: kaj, če je kavč res grd?
4. Opazila sem, da imate zelo specifična pravila o odpiranju oken, bodisi doma bodisi v avtu. Mislim, da to izvira iz preventive, ker ne želite zboleti. Prav tako sem se naučila, da ženske na hladne klopce, preden nanje sedejo, položijo papir, zato da ne bi imele težave pri zanositvi. Oprostite, ampak tega res ne bom nikoli razumela.
5. Vztrajate pri tem, ko nekoga nekam povabite, da mu ali ji to tudi plačate. To mi je res všeč, vendar se mi zdi, da bi bilo to za Američane težko dojeti. Pri nas je protokol, kdo bo plačal, nekoliko bolj zapleten. Zato se mi zdi lepo, ko te nekdo nekam povabi, si lahko skoraj prepričan, da bo oseba zate tudi plačala. Lepo je tudi vedeti, da nekomu lahko nekaj plačaš, ne da se ti bo pretirano upiral. V ZDA se na koncu ljudje vedno skregajo, kdo bo plačal. Hitra anekdota: včasih sem delala v restavraciji s hitro prehrano, tudi pri blagajni. Nekega dne sta se dami, ki sta bili že v letih, fizično spopadli, katera bo plačala: obe sta mi podajali kartico in grabili druga drugo za roko. Bilo je smešno, mene pa sta spravili v precej neroden položaj, saj nisem vedela, kaj storiti.
Mislim, da je najboljše pri spoznavanju druge kulture in navad, da se, ne glede na to, koliko časa si že tam, še vedno vsak dan lahko naučiš kaj novega. Poznam Američanko, ki je usodni da dahnila Slovencu, tukaj živita že osem mesecev. Pred tem je na Hrvaškem živela leto in pol. In še vedno se vsak dan nauči kaj novega. Včasih je res tuje (kulturne) navade težko razumeti, se na njih navaditi, ampak verjetno je tako za vse. Tudi za vas bi bilo, če bi se, denimo, preselili v Ameriko. Mimogrede, ste vedeli, da Američani hodimo obuti po hiši in da včasih zunaj hodimo v nogavicah ali bosi? Neki Slovenec mi je dejal, da je to čudno. Ampak mu ne verjamem.
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Angleški izvirnik
The Weirdest Things I Learned This Week
I’ve learned a lot of cultural differences between Slovenia and the United States over these past two months, and to be completely honest, I thought I had this place pretty well figured out. However, I learned a lot of simple, little things this week, and it illustrated to me just how little I know about the Slovene culture. So I’ve decided to share with you the five strangest things I learned this week.
1. You walk with sticks. Okay, this isn’t just a Slovene thing, but I’ve seen it a lot here, and I’ve always thought it looks pretty funny. I mean, you’re walking on flat ground—why do you need walking sticks? I learned, though, that it’s actually a good workout for your arms, and (believe it or not) is legitimately helpful when hiking mountains. (Still looks a little strange, though.)
2. You all eat salad out of the same bowl. I actually think it’s the best idea ever, and I tried to get my mom on board, but she wasn’t feeling too enthusiastic about the whole thing. But it’s so convenient (even if it is a little unsanitary, when you think about it).
3. Your apartments come furnished. In the States, almost all long-term apartments come unfurnished. They’re empty, which is nice, because then you can to fill them with your own stuff. Here, though, a lot of apartments come furnished. I guess I can see the good and the bad. The good is obviously that you don’t have to buy a couch. The bad: What if the couch is really ugly?
4. I learned that there are very particular rules on opening the windows inside a house or a car. I think it all goes back to the draft thing—you don’t want to get sick. Also, I learned that women will sit on newspapers on cold benches in order to keep from going infertile. Sorry, I don’t think I’ll ever understand that one.
5. You insist on paying for someone when you ask them to go out with you somewhere. I really love this, but it can be hard for an American to grasp. In the States, the protocol on who is going to pay can be complicated, so it’s refreshing to be invited somewhere and to be fairly certain that the person will pay for you. It’s also nice to be able to pay for someone else without them resisting so much. In the States, people always end up fighting over who will pay. (Quick story: I used to work at a fast-food restaurant, and once I was working the cash register, and a pair of old ladies physically fought over who was going to pay. They were both trying to hand me their cards while grabbing and pulling on the other’s arm. It was hilarious, but also pretty awkward, because I had no idea whose card to take.)
I think the most amazing thing about being exposed to a new culture is that you keep learning new things, no matter how long you’ve lived there. I know an American woman who married a Slovene, and she’s been living here in Slovenia for about eight months now. Before that, she lived in Croatia for a year and a half. But she said that she still learns new things every day. When you’re not native to a culture, it can take a lot to understand it. I have a feeling that you all would feel the same if you came to the States. Did you know we wear shoes in the house, and we sometimes just wear our socks or bare feet outside? A Slovene told me that’s weird. I don’t believe him.