In the days when you couldn't count on a public facility to have indoor plumbing, an English woman was planning a trip to Germany. She was registered to stay in a small guesthouse owned by the local schoolmaster. She was concerned as to whether the guesthouse contained a WC. In England, a bathroom is commonly called a WC, which stands for water closet. She wrote the schoolmaster inquiring as to the location of the nearest WC.

The schoolmaster, not fluent in English, asked the local priest if he knew the meaning of WC. Together they pondered possible meanings of the letters and concluded that the lady wanted to know if there was a "Wayside Chapel" near the house...a bathroom never entered their minds. So the schoolmaster wrote the following reply:

Dear Madam,

I take great pleasure in informing you that the WC is located 9 miles from the house. It is located in the middle of a grove of pine trees, surrounded by lovely grounds. It is capable of holding 229 people and is open on Sundays and Thursdays. As there are many people expected in the summer months, I suggest you arrive early. There is, however, plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate situation, especially if you are in the habit of going regularly.

It may be of some interest to you that my daughter was married in the WC as it was there that she met her husband. It was a wonderful event. There were 10 people in every seat. It was wonderful to see the expressions on their faces. My wife, sadly, has been ill and unable to go recently. It has been almost a year since she went last, which pains her greatly.

You will be pleased to know that many people bring their lunch and make a day of it. Others prefer to wait till the last minute and arrive just in time! I would recommend your ladyship plan to go on a Thursday as there is an organ accompaniment. The acoustics are excellent and even the most delicate sounds can be heard everywhere. The newest addition is a bell, which rings every time a person enters. We are holding a bazaar to provide plush seats for all since many feel it is long needed.

I look forward to escorting you there myself and seating you in a place where you can be seen by all.

Sincerely,
Schoolmaster

So, if you were the English lady receiving this reply, what would you think? Quite humorous, isn't it?

That is the kind of thing that happens when you cross customs or traditions. Never mind the language differences, there are many, many customs that are different as you travel from one local to another. In fact, it is said that in India you can run into a different set of customs and language every twenty five miles.

All this comes from the old days when people never used to travel. Many would live and die within a twenty five mile radius of where they were born. As a result you would have customs evolve in an area that were not shared by those twenty five miles away. That is the same all over the world.

Then the industrial revolution hit and people began to travel. That is when we began to see all these different conditions. When air travel became affordable to the bulk of North America and Europe thousands of people began to travel. They then found what we are speaking of here.

Today, with the internet rapidly becoming the chief method of communication we are crossing all boundaries.

The point we are getting to here is that when you are writing, phoning, or otherwise communicating with folks in different parts of the world, any further than twenty five miles from your home, you should be aware that not only does language change slightly, but so do customs.

When addressing people away from your home it is good to be conscious of these subtle changes. What seems common and ordinary to you may be quite foreign to the person you speak with.

A good rule to follow when you are away from your "home grounds" is to behave, everywhere, as if you were a "guest". Watch people's customs, assume nothing, and ask permission to do things. Nothing gives you the right to walk all over people and their customs, even if you are paying for the privilege of being there.

Crossing Customs!

©2005

Show All Articles By Ken Darby

Back To Article Index

Home
Articles
Columns
Products
Poems
Links
Find A Date
Newsletter

Match Making Sites