Toliet Paper and Reverse Culture Shock
July 14, 2006 • Japan
Last night while standing in the toliet paper aisle at the comissary, I was struck by the "new and improved" size of American toliet paper rolls...so big that you need an extender to fit them on regular size holders. I think it was some sort of sign that I need to start preparing for "reverse culture shock". When I returned from Japan in 1996 after a year on the JET program, I remember standing in the toothpaste aisle at Walmart and feeling so overwhelmed by all of the choices for toothpaste that I ended up leaving the store empty handed except for a splitting headache. Do we really need so many options for toothpaste? Do we really need mongo sized toliet paper rolls because we are too lazy to change them? Do we really need drinks that are so big they could keep a small village hydrated? I don't know how to prepare myself for our return to the land of "supersize", Costco, Sam's, and "bigger is better", but I guess we'll start with the toliet paper and see if it helps with the transition.
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I am hearing you!!! I think it is just obsurd the excess in the us. When we were in Taiwan we were so happy to see normal size potrions at resteraunts, small grocery stores, and signs reminding folks to only use what they need. Very refreshing!
It is really super size in the US. When I was in Okinawa, stationed on Kaden Air Base, I can remember large drinks their were only a medium size in the States. I was even shock how KFC in Okinawa had such small chicken. I'm not sure bigger is better. Perhaps with the gas prices the SUV phase if over.
DR Shaw
http://geocities.com/shawzer
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