Western Life

Comfortable, easy, free, accessible are just a few words that describe the western life we take for granted. We don't realize that life outside of America can be quite different. Unless you have ever traveled to a poorer country it is difficult to realize the ease and comfortableness of western life. We just expect our jobs to be enjoyable, our toilets to be pristine, and get service where the customer is always right. But this is not the case in many countries.

Photo provided by: Sarah Aves

I recently found this out while traveling through Southeast Asia. Sure, I was expecting it to be dirty, crowded, and smelly as I had heard many stories from friends who had previously traveled there. Plus I was looking to stay for a long period of time for cheap rates which meant all those things would have to be accepted. But actually being there finally made me realize how lucky we have it in Canada.
 
Family is so important in Southeast Asia because you never leave them. Most families work together owning either a restaurant or little shop. Many times we would go into a restaurant and at the back would be the family taking care of the little ones while the older ones would be cooking and serving us. They work and live in their home. It made me realize how lucky we are to have an education and the option to choose whatever career we wish. Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with working in the family business and they seem quite happy doing so. But I would not be happy; I've been spoiled with a western life, I expect more.

Photo provided by: Sarah Aves

As many restaurants were run by families the kind of customer service you would expect in Canada does not exist. Even actual business restaurants have hardly any customer service at least nothing up to our standards. It is perfectly normal to get food with bugs in it or something you thought you didn't order. But there is nothing you can do about it, it's non-negotiable. Bugs get everywhere there; eventually you just accept that there are ants running all over your table. That just because you don't like what you ordered doesn't mean you should not you pay for it. Not like in Canada where if you find the slightest thing wrong with your food or just decide that you don't like it, you can send it back and not pay for it. The restaurant will apologize for the inconvenience. This is nice to know that you don't have to eat something you don't like but at the same time, spoiled.

Toilets another thing I've been spoiled with. I probably squatted in a hundred dirty squat toilets while in Southeast Asia. Using them this many times makes you excited, yes excited to go back home and use a western toilet. As it is not comfortable to try and squat and go to the washroom, just think about camping every day of your life. Thai women must have the strongest legs from doing squats every day, it definitely was a workout. Plus often there was no toilet paper or you would have to pay for it and the use of the squat toilet. I was like really? I have to pay for a shitty toilet that has no running water?? Amazing! Even the high end malls located in Bangkok had a 2 baht fee to use the restrooms, which isn't a lot but still seems crazy coming from Canada where all public washrooms are free. Spoiled!

Photo provided by: Sarah Aves

These are just a couple of things we take for granted.  However, there are a lot more things which include: hot showers, long distance transit where you actually get a seat when you pay for a ticket, beef (not too much out there), electricity at all times of the day, internet, microwaves, TV, and cars as they are a major luxury in Southeast Asia. Of course some areas of Southeast Asia have all these things but there are still plenty places and people that don't. People who own all these things in Southeast Asia are very wealthy while these things come standard for most westerners.

Westerners are spoiled by so much and take all of it for granted. People in poorer countries actually learn to be grateful for what they have, family, food, homes, and jobs of any sort. They are a grateful people and are lot happier than most western people, even though they have much less. I'm not saying I would ever want to live like they do in Southeast Asia. But since my trip I do realize how lucky I am and am striving to make an effort to not take my comfortable life for granted. I actually feel happier by being more grateful. As the saying goes "you don't realize what you have, until you've lost it".