Culture

Yes, yes, I've just posted and that was a really, really boring post. I checked my comments then, and saw one from Isabelle, who lives in Paris and is the same age as me (Hi, Isabelle!). I then remembered a post I've been meaning to write for a few weeks now. I read many blogs written by people living in or coming from other countries, and I believe that many of them read my blog as well. I am fascinated by other cultures, their ins and outs, the day to day things you think are mundane but really are so different than anywhere else. Having said that, I'd also like to stress that the United States is a REALLY big country, and so
Judy who lives in Texas and Carolwho lives in New Hampshire probably have totally different ways of life than I, who lives in Pennsylvania, have.

So here is my challenge to you: answer the following questions on your blog, leave a comment to tell me you've done it, and I will read them all. It's a fun little thing, and if you don't feel like it, that's fine. It's really just to satisfy my wish-I-could-travel-right-now curiosity! To Renee, feel free just to skip this, since you just did your A-Z, which I totally loved! And to Jo, if you could do yours about NZ, I would LOVE that!


Culture Questions

What is (roughly) your daily schedule? What time does work begin? What time does it end? How about meal times? Does your country go in for the afternoon rest time?
Where I live, the day starts between 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM for most people. Many jobs start at 8:00 and people work until around 4:00 or 5:00 in the evening. Breakfast is the first meal of the day and is skipped by many people (though I ALWAYS eat breakfast). Lunch time is generally understood to mean 12:00 Noon, and dinner time is anywhere from 4:00 until 7:00. I would say the average bed time for Americans is between 10:00 and midnight. There is no break in the afternoon, and naps are generally thought to be something that only children need.

What is the predominate language spoken in your country? Are many people bi-lingual?
Here, most people speak English, but we have many, many people who speak other languages. Learning other languages is not emphasized in our schools or our homes. We had Spanish and French class in my high school (I took French for three years), but for the most part, the only people who are bi-lingual are those who have family members for whom English is a second language.

What sports are popular in your country?
Football (in the American sense of the word, not soccer), baseball, basketball, and hockey are the main sports here. Golf is also very popular, but I honestly do not consider that a sport! Soccer here is not very popular, though there are soccer teams in almost every school across America and children often play it.

Are there supermarkets where you live?
This question may seem silly to Americans, but a girl I know went to visit Germany, and there she had to go food shopping almost every day, and then had to go from store to store to get everything she needed. There are supermarkets here, stores where you can get all of your groceries in one shot. Thank God for supermarkets.

Who are the real-life heros in your country?
I think that here, the real heros (not the sports figures or the super stars) are the founding fathers, people like George Washington (our first President), Benjamin Franklin (a famous inventor and politician), and Thomas Jefferson (the writer of the Declaration of Independence and later, a President). I am sure there are more, but none are coming to me right now!

Is there a day you celebrate your country? What is the celebration like?
We celebrate the birth of our nation on July 4th every year. This is summer time here, and we usually have barbeques, parades, and fireworks. There are American flags to be found flying everywhere and lots of patriotic music. It is a lot of fun.