Most of my Filipino friends in the Philippines would always throw me a very intriguing question about how clean Americans or Europeans are in the house. Even my Filipino friends here in the United States would ask me if I have already noticed the difference of the American/European culture from ours vis-a-vis the cleanliness and orderliness in their homes.
I've been to many American homes, including the one I visited yesterday. I admit it is totally different. This is not to give a sweeping statement, but Americans [regardless of gender] do not know how to maintain arrangement of stuff in areas of the house that are supposed to be in order. Maybe not the older generations. Maybe only the teenagers and those who are feeling like teenagers.
The kitchen for instance must be kept clean. Who wants to cook in a greasy, off-color sink with unwashed utensils? Next is the living room. The living room is where most of the house members gather for a nightly TV viewing or conversation or a short playtime. But who wants to sit on a couch full of books? Who wants to see personal belongings here and there, cups and glasses everywhere - like a carnival in total disarray?
This is my perception, ladies and gentlemen. I really do not care whatever people do inside their own rooms. Plant a tree, raise a monkey, interbreed insects, act like Tarzan - I do not care a fig! It is your room and you have all the rights to transform it to whatever sci-fi scene you want. Just leave the "common" area free of your 'cultured bugs' or your 'monkey's hair'. This advice goes to anyone, by the way, and points not to a particular nationality only!
I lived in Europe for two years and luckily my Dutch friends were not that messy in their homes. Some of the Spanish people were. Italians too are quite disorderly with things.
As a final note, little by little, I am agreeing to what my friends say about other culture's idea of cleanliness. I have high regards for other people not of my nationality, especially for women; perhaps they could change this 'messy' perception. After all, they are women, the torch that gives light to the household. Let that torch shine, therefore, to see which is cleaned and which is not.
Peace!
Labels: USA Blogging
1 Comments:
In my experience, Americans keep a very tidy house but "clean" is a different matter. I call it "half-ass" clean because it's really just to get everything neat but I wouldn't eat off of it.
Nice blog!
Michelle
October 12, 2007 9:43 AM
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