Culture and Language Differences

[tywy_99]

Going on a month since my wife arrived and since then we have been dealing with our cultural differences. The two biggest differences have been, 1) heat and window opening, and 2) the washing machine.

Due to the small amount of heat afforded to my wife in China during the cold months, she is accustomed to wearing layers of clothes in the house. Me, on the other hand, I don't like to blast the heat like a melting furnace but I do like it warm enough in the house so I can just kick around in a t-shirt and a pair of shorts or sweat pants. I refuse to bundle up like a fur trapper while in the house!...Okay, we've worked out that little thing, somewhat...lol. Now,,,the washing machine. My wife simply doesn't like it! She likes to wash clothes by hand and that is okay with me but I keep telling her that a washing machine is alot more easier and care-free. Just load it up, turn it on, and forget about it. I showed her how to use it. She looked on with some attention and alot of dislike for the comtraption. She says,,,too much soap, too long time and too rough washing. Well, we're still working on that one. For the time being, I'll just have to get used to socks and underwear draped over the curtain rod in the shower!...lol. In spite of our cultural differences, we are managing just fine. In time, we will adjust to each others ways and find that happy median. I love her with all my heart!

I thought the visa process took alot of patience, that was nothing compared to the patience needed to work thru these differences and so I am learning to be even more patient and even more understanding than before and by doing so, an even more, a better man.

 

I LOVE YOU, happymoon!

 

 

P.S.- About Food and Language I'll post another time......

[Patrick & Li]

LOL, I will put my foot down in some ways. I will not wear lots of clothes in the house and she will not hang clothes on the shower rod. I know we are going to butt heads, she's as stubborn as i am! But some things just dont make sense!

 

Patrick

[tonado]

My wife is having a problem adjusting to cold weather in Boston. She complains about the dryness with indoor heat. However, when I turn down the heat, she complains about the cold.

[tonado]

After 3 months, my wife finally decides to wash her underwears using the washing machine instead by hand. After starting her ESL classes, she has not much free time.

[newman]

I can relate. One of the few words I was able to get through to my wife before and after she came to the US was "PATIENCE". Unfortunately, little did I realize how little I had. I think we've come a long, long, way in 10 months. My wife tells me she is almost able to trust me now. I'm only too grateful for being able to find one other Chinese wife, whose been in the US ten years, to help explain to each of us the other persons point of view.

[Bobby]

I can relate.  One of the few words I was able to get through to my wife before and after she came to the US was "PATIENCE".  Unfortunately, little did I realize how little I had.  I think we've come a long, long, way in 10 months.  My wife tells me she is almost able to trust me now.  I'm only too grateful for being able to find one other Chinese wife, whose been in the US ten years, to help explain to each of us the other persons point of view.

 

[frank1538]

I can relate.  One of the few words I was able to get through to my wife before and after she came to the US was "PATIENCE".  Unfortunately, little did I realize how little I had.  I think we've come a long, long, way in 10 months.  My wife tells me she is almost able to trust me now.  I'm only too grateful for being able to find one other Chinese wife, whose been in the US ten years, to help explain to each of us the other persons point of view.

As my daughter is apt to say:

 

Patience is a virture,

Possess it if you can.

Seldom found in women.

Never found in man.

 

[keelec]

I think I'll be ok.....

 

I like my washing machine..... Perhaps I have a habit of waiting so long that I must overstuff it to do the wash......

 

But, I haven't bothered to hook up my dryer yet.... The shower rod does come in handy!!!!!! There is just no sense in paying so much to have clothes dry immediately.

 

Actually, what I would like to find sometime is one of those pully systems above the tub that I've seen in both Italian and Russian bathrooms. Essentially one has a full clothes line hidden away above the tub. (6 or 8 strands that you can drop down and raise independently for loading and staggering the levels.

----- CK -----

[keelec]

Don,

 

I am at least convinced that by doing a "full" load of clothes in the washing machine is more efficient than doing it by hand (1/4 - 1/2 cup of soap for the entire load, good ringing, only 2 rinses).

 

Whenever I've ever washed clothes by hand, the cottons always seemed to need at least 4 rinses, and I could never get them rung out as well as the washing machine does.

 

Perhaps what you need to do is to go shopping for Christmas.... 2 weeks of undies minimum..... 3 days just doesn't cut it. Also pick up a few extra outfits.

 

----- Clifford -----

[se_lang]

I have always noticed that clothes that were hung out to dry just dont have that sofy fluffly feeling it is more like wearing cardboard, but I have a super size washer an dryer so I can stuff the whole week in 1 load, whites, colors evrything except cleaning rags only take 30-40 minutes to dry a full load in dryer then I toss them from bed to ironing board all week untill they get washed again I think when the MM gets here that will all change, she can do it any way she wants as long as it dont make more work for me

[Mick]

I have always noticed that clothes that were hung out to dry just dont have that sofy fluffly feeling it is more like wearing cardboard, but I have a super size washer an dryer so I can stuff the whole week in 1 load, whites, colors evrything except cleaning rags only take 30-40 minutes to dry a full load in dryer then I toss them from bed to ironing board all week untill they get washed again I think when the MM gets here that will all change, she can do it any way she wants as long as it dont make more work for me   

"as long as it don't make any more work for me".

 

Brace yourself se lang! Have you read Don's thread about why he has been so silent?

[se_lang]

"as long as it don't  make any more work for me".

 

Brace yourself se lang! Have you read Don's thread about why he has been so silent?

Yes, But right now I live in an apartment so not a lot of fixing to do but when she gets here we will probably try to have a home built so that will be new and should not need a lot of work but then again women always change their minds, for now I still have time to be lazy.

[Bobby]

I have always noticed that clothes that were hung out to dry just dont have that sofy fluffly feeling it is more like wearing cardboard, but I have a super size washer an dryer so I can stuff the whole week in 1 load, whites, colors evrything except cleaning rags only take 30-40 minutes to dry a full load in dryer then I toss them from bed to ironing board all week untill they get washed again  I think when the MM gets here that will all change, she can do it any way she wants as long as it dont make more work for me

I'm with you on the "cardboard" comment.. the last couple of times I air-dried my clothes, they retained their shape after being taken off of the line. I didn't fold them for fear of them breaking into sharp pieces.

 

I picked up a new dryer about a month ago, but haven't gotten to dry my clothes yet. There's a problem with the venting, so I'm working with my maintenance guys to fix that (another apartment bum). My better-3/4's told me she hasn't ever used a dryer and that its bad for clothes. Perhaps her clothes, but I buy clothes to last Luckily, I have a second bathroom, so if worse-comes-to-worse, she can convert one of the bathrooms to a drying facility .

[frank1538]

I'm with you on the "cardboard" comment..  the last couple of times I air-dried my clothes, they retained their shape after being taken off of the line.  I didn't fold them for fear of them breaking into sharp pieces.

 

I'm at the other end of the spectrum. It is when my clothes can stand up by themselves that I know it's time to wash them. I've actually seen socks trying to escape. Ever wonder why you lose a sock now and then? Escape, my friend. Ever see a sock by the side of the road? Poor soul didn't make it.

[Robert S.]

My wife is having a problem adjusting to cold weather in Boston.  She complains about the dryness with indoor heat. However, when I turn down the heat, she complains about the cold.

Tony, her part of China is very humid. You need a humidifier and this will make the room feel warmer also.

 

After having to go to the laundromat for several months, we now have our own washer and dryer. Ping was very pleased to now have a "wash machine" and a "hot machine." She also likes our new refrigerator. When she talks about the freezer this is the "up-up" and the other part is the "under."

 

I have been speaking fluent Chinglish for more than two years now but Ping has made a sudden leap recently in understanding standard English and has taken an interest in learning this herself. We have nearly worn out our Oxford Chinese-English dictionary.