Monday, January 05, 2009

Differences

One sometimes gets a rude awakening that you are from another culture and thought process entirely. Even something as simple as grocey shopping opens your eyes.

In Germany, I was quite surprised to find that everything - and I mean everything, is closed on holidays. Super markets/ stores everything. Coming from a place where you can always go to the kirana store incase you need something, was quite annoying. Landed on a Saturday and was provisionless for a full day before I could get anything. Thankfully there was just enough provisions lying about the house to last the weekend.

Monday morning first thing get to the nearby super market, get saamaan that would last for my stay there and get to the check out. Pay up and lookup for plastic bags to carry the bought stuff. Pick up one of the bags kept at the check out and start the stuff that I've bought, only to be admonished by the woman at the checkout in a thick teutonic voice "You must pay for the bag". Pay for plastic? What? That to a steep price for flimsy plastic. This is when you realise the EU is trying to force people to be environmently friendly. A good thing definitely, but completely alien to me.

Guess thats what all that cross cultural sensitivity crap is all about.

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