In my opinion, learning how to live as guest is a long and difficult process. I remember spending a week with family friends in Cyprus. At the beginning of the trip, I said "thank you" for every little hospitality, insisted on washing my own dishes, and made every effort to take quick showers so as not to bother my hosts. On the second day, my friend Dib said, "Enough! Stop saying 'thank you'!" I am indebted to him for teaching me a valuable lesson. People enjoy taking care of their guests. One need not feel guilty about being lavished attention while living abroad, especially in hospitality-driven Eastern cultures. As such, I don't do anything here. Olga and Natasha cook me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Olga cleans my clothes. Natasha proofreads my homework. It is insulting if I try to wash my own dishes. At first, I had a difficult time surrendering any semblance of independent action. Now I just submit to whatever they tell me to do, and I am getting along just fine this way.
On a separate note, some have expressed concern about my melancholic postings. I'd like to assure everyone that I'm actually quite happy. New friends and adventures - it's all good fun.
Cheers!
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Any time you want to come and stay at my house, I'd be more than happy to have you do the cooking, dishes,....... Enjoying your blogs.
ReplyDeleteHa,ha...I'm not sure you would like my cooking, but I am an excellent dish washer! My friend Ben and I developed a fool-proof method while working for a bed and breakfast a few years ago. We call it "the sniff test". The basic rule of thumb is that you have to clean the given dish until the odor of whatever was on it previously disappears.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with the Johnsons!
Wow, it's great that you have such wonderful hosts. I'm glad you have accepted your fate and now meekly surrender to not washing your own dishes. But the "sniff test" is terrible! Another idea: the "squeak test".
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