img source: http://www.ggportland.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Yard-Sale-Sign.jpg
I have been living in the US for about three years now and
one of the facets of American culture that I have been interested in is the
nature of its problems – maybe because, they are different from the country
where I came from.
The first problem is getting rid of so much stuff. It is not
uncommon to accumulate a bunch of stuff through the years that at some point,
people wish to declutter. It’s a meticulous job to figure out how to do it
because Americans are guided by different ideologies: things like saving the
environment, being generous to friends and helping charitable institutions or some
just want to keep their house prettier. You will find people here who would literally
beg you to take their stuff so they don’t have to worry about renting a
dumpster or doing a yard sale (because yard sale is hard work). Most of the
time, they are just happy that their stuff are still being put to good use and
are not wasted. It is not uncommon to see free stuff on the curb – old couches,
kids toys, TVs.. you name it! I will not lie but many of the things we own have
been given to us. We like to think of it as God’s way of providing our needs
and even our wants.
The second problem I have noticed is arguing over who will
get the bill at the restaurant. I like this problem because I believe it comes
from a desire to be generous and to bless others. Often, you would have to
secretly connive with the waitress so she will run your credit card instead of
your friend’s then your friend would later give you the evil eye for doing so.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, specifically in the Philippines,
it’s not uncommon to tease a friend into paying for your meal.
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