ESCAPE BLOG

So you got lucky abroad… and your vacation fling turned serious… and now, well, now you want to propose marriage.

Would she appreciate a dramatic/romantic (Western standards) type of marriage proposal? With you going down on your knees, holding out a ring. Or, would she recoil in horror because you have just offended her?

Like I always remind you… it is best to do your homework. Especially when it comes to sensitive and important issues, it is always good to keep in mind that they may do it differently in other cultures.

In Nepal, the Sherpa society dictate that you should approach the father of the intended bride to subtly signal your intent. Gifts should also be brought. The father normally gathers more information about you and is the one who decides whether you can marry his daughter or not.

Now, if you fell in love with a Chinese girl, you are in for a lot of sleepless nights. It calls for an elaborate proposal and — if you are lucky — acceptance. Basically, an agent (a go between) will handle the negotiations between your parents and the girl’s parents. Gifts will be exchanged and astrological experts need to be consulted. And when that goes on without a hitch, both parties can finally meet face to face where both will judge appearance, education, character and social position. Decision will be based on all of the above mentioned.

If I was a man, I’d be depressed by now.

For some cultures in countries like Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus region, Ethiopia and Rwanda, you might need to channel your inner Collin Farrell bad boy attitude to get you that bride because they still practice bride kidnapping.

“The mechanism of bride kidnappings varies depending on where it is taking place. In Ethiopia and Rwanda the mechanism is quite brutal, where the man kidnaps the woman and rapes her. The family of the woman either then feels obliged to agree, or is forced to when the kidnapper impregnates her.

In Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries, the practice is different. The groom’s male relatives adbuct the girl, while the older women of the family then put pressure on her to marry. Some families will keep the girl hostage for several days to try and crack her, others will let her go if she stays defiant. The groom usually never sees the bride until she has either agreed to marry or as a last ditch effort to try and convince her to stay. It is also common for the woman’s family to be contacted to help convince her to stay, and indeed often they approve of the forced marriage. While less violent than that practiced elsewhere, the essence of the process is still the same. Such social stigma is attached that the kidnapped woman usually feels that she has no choice but to agree, and many of those who refuse even commit suicide afterwards. Although it is illegal in Kyrgyzstan, the kidnappers are almost never convicted.”

If I was a man, I would probably just convince her to elope.

If you could get away with binge-drinking during Spring Break, along with all the other college students who were doing the same, it would be best to have a different set of standards when you are off drinking in another country. Whether you are in a local bar or somewhere in Timbuktu, you should always be conscious of your behaviour.

We all know that having one drink too many could result in trouble.

Nah, Ms. Goody Two Shoes here does not plan on discussing how much you should and can drink when in other countries. I just thought that a “little reminder” is called for as an introduction since the topic is alcohol.

Anyway…

Here are just a few trivia about drinking alcohol in other countries:

• Keep in mind that Whisky is to Scotland as WhiskEy is to Ireland.
• And when in Scotland, do NOT order your Scotch “on the rocks” as you do at home. Instead, order it with a side of water.
• In countries like Germany, it is normal to take alcoholic beverages with your major daily meal.
• In Austria and Germany, when making a toast, make sure you look in the eyes of the person you are saying “Prost” to.
• In Korea, when someone treats you for a drink, you have to return the favour later.
• In Poland, wine is regarded as high-status, middle class drink. Beers and Vodkas, on the other hand, are ordinary or for the working class.
• In France, never bring a bottle of wine when you are invited for dinner at someone’s house. It’s insulting.

If you are visiting Islamic countries, try to avoid drinking. You will definitely get in trouble since consumption of alcoholic beverages is forbidden.

P.S. Not in all Islamic countries, though.

photo credits 

Blood is a fluid that consists of plasma, red & white blood cells and platelets that is circulated by the heart through arteries and veins, carrying oxygen and nutrients to and waste materials away from all body tissues.

Phew! After that long description (thanks to the dictionary), who would want to eat anything with blood in it!

Well, a lot of people do. I do.

In my native Philippines, one of my favorite local dish is called Dinuguan. The term is derived from the Filipino word “dugo” which literally means blood. Dinuguan is cooked with pigs blood, pork meat, entrails, jalapeno and vinegar.

Some would feel squeamish at the thought of eating this with rice. I can’t blame you. If I am faced with a foreign meal that is colored black, I would have my doubts, too.

Well, you’d be surprised to know that there are even more cultures that DO include blood (not human, of course) when they cook food. In China and Vietnam, they also eat coagulated blood of pigs, ducks or geese. In Kenya, Camel bood is drunk. In Tanzania, cow’s blood is mixed with milk.

You’d be even more surprised to know that eating blood is not exclusive to the above mentioned exotic places. Some westerners eat them, too.

In the UK, Ireland and Canada, they have blood sausage which they also call black pudding. These blood sausages are also present in France (boudin noir), Iceland (blóðmör), Portugal (morcela), Finland (mustamakkara) and Germany (blutwurst), among others.

Too squeamish? Or if your religion (Judaism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness) forbids you to drink blood or eat food made with blood then, it would be best to ask before you start eating. Be warned!

photo source

In Chinese, chopsticks are called “Kuaizi“. Chinese chopsticks are relatively long.

The DOs and DONTs of Chopstick use in CHINA:

• Do NOT beat your bowls while eating. This behavior is associated with beggars.
• Like in Japan, do NOT stick your chopstick into your rice. This practice is used solely for sacrifice.
• When picking up food, the back of your hand should be on top at all times. It would be of bad taste and would mean that you are unrefined if you twist the wrist that is holding the chopstick and people would be able to see your palm.

It all sounds strange to me, considering that I have Chinese blood. But, that is how it works.