No offense taken. I am not trying recreate home. Rather I know my limits. There is just only so much of the exotic this guy can take. If I can keep a few familiar favorites it will go a long way in keeping me physically and mentally healthy and happy. Thus, allowing me to slowly decompress and avoid the cultural bends. 6 months into my stay in India and I was pretty beaten up. 2 years in and I weighed 104 pounds (47.27 kilos).violet wrote:no offence to you connecticuter, but I just don't get why people go to a foreign country and then try to recreate their home country there. ... same luxuries, same products, same foodstuffs, same mindset, same conditions, same service.
Not everyone is a bold adventurer... Not only am I the cliched provincial American, but I am a terrible bore too. I would rather read a book, play chess/go, etc... than visit temples or anything else that smacks of tourism. I am far more interested in getting to know the locals, understand their history and culture, how they view the world etc... That means getting to know people and having conversations about politics, philosophy etc... Which can all be had with very little movement or adventure.
violet wrote: In your case, Connecticuter, did you get posted for work here? I guess I can understand more if a person is here for the work/money and not to widen their horizons and adapt to a new environment.
Edited: as I've just seen your other post asking why the establishment didn't follow up on your offer to teach the staff English.
sheesh...
You have a bit of a false dichotomy here. Just because I have financial motives does not entail that I do not also have other motives: such as widening my horizons. Cambodia was just one country on a list that I considered going. I chose Cambodia BECAUSE I was interesrted in its people and its history. If money were not an issue for me I still would have come.
As far as the issue of adaption, just think of the bagels as a crutch to help me relearn how to walk, or training wheels on a kids bike.