I remember talking about talking about the differences between ME mentality and US mentality from time to time, and now that I have found the opportunity, here it goes:
Having friends to stay with is always good for the budget.
This is a very American thing to say :-)
Of course it is correct, and I understand how normal it is in the US, but this would never be said in the Middle East - it is good to stay with friends because they are friends. Actually, they will INSIST that you stay with them. It would be considered extremely rude to say (even think, probably) that it is good to stay with friends because thus you don't spend money on a hotel room.
Hospitality is also extremely important, by the way - This friend is half-ME/half-US, and she insisted (bordering on threatening) that I stay with her, that she would never talk to me again if I stayed anywhere else :-)
Returning to the topic of talking about money, some years ago in Manhattan, I was walking around what I think was 52nd & Lexington, when I saw many jewellery shops one after the other, with signs saying "The cheapest wedding rings here!" "You won't find wedding rings cheaper than this!", etc...
This is a great example of the difference in mentality (well, maybe "style") that you just do NOT talk about the cost of something in the ME. Especially something as sentimental as a wedding ring. You take a ME girl to a jeweller that says "The cheapest rings!" on the window and she will beat you senseless with her bag :-)
Now, I am sure you are thinking about the suks and the bazaars and haggling over the prices of the rugs and stuff. That's something else :-) Then those guys come home and they never say things like "Oh let's not go to that restaurant because I cannot afford it this month". If necessary, they will invent some ailment or say they have to go home, but they will not mention the money... |
