Culturally insensitive?

Hi guys,

 

So after sending my email yesterday, I started to feel kind of guilty.  Maybe I was a smidge culturally insensitive regarding the whole cleanliness/hand washing issue?  I guess the point that I was trying to make is we (Americans and Turkmen) have different ideas about what constitutes clean.  And that I think it's ironic that my host mother would scold me for being a grubby little girl (my words, not hers :) ) when I come from a culture that considers my current life style somewhat primitive. Undeveloped. 

 

But, I did not intent to imply that the U.S. is better.  Certainly there are sanitation issues in Turkmenistan and for those reasons alone I would venture to say that perhaps our US preoccupation with cleanliness is "better."  In terms of health and hygiene and sanitation, yes.  But does having toilets make us better people?  Not really.  I am most thankful for my outhouse.  It's a place where I can do my business privately. It serves its purpose.

 

So, while I won't be eating any raw ground beef anytime soon (ewwww) and I'll keep trying to wash with soap every time (not always available, however) I would never say that my US culture is better or that we're better people because of our lifestyles. 

 

Just wanted to get that off my chest.  

 

It's a beautiful 73 degrees in Ashgabat today.  I went to a "Mashine Toy" this morning -- a party celebrating the purchase of a new car!  There were lots of people and lots of food.  Including Dograma.  It was the first (and last) time I had Dograma.  After one bite I decided it was not for me.  It's crumbled bread, onion and... goat meat.  Yep.  Not my fav.

 

Photo update:  Sorry I invited you all to Flikr.  I didn't want to make my photos public but upon further thinking, I guess I will because it'll be a pain in the butt for you to all sign up for some  photo service you won't use just to see my pictures.  I'm working on it. 

 

Happy Sunday!

Jess