Topics of the World
The Best Commute in the World
It starts early in the week when I type an appointment in my work calendar for 4:30 p.m. Friday: “Bike ride home.” Just the act of typing those words puts a smile on my face because I’ve just blocked that time from any meetings and I’ve got all week to look forward to a glorious bike commute home over San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Bridge.
On the commute home via the Golden Gate Bridge
Friday morning I get my gear ready: the bike pants, the windbreaker, the gloves, the iPod, the helmet, the Camelbak, and the sunglasses. Since I live 25 miles away in Marin County and there’s no shower at work, this is only a one-way commute. I jump on the bike-rack enabled commuter bus in the morning and head southward towards The City by the Bay with all the other gas-guzzling suburban commuters. (more…)
Why is your French colleague being formal?
Test your cultural expertise with our weekly quiz question. This week’s question is from France.
Your close French colleague takes on a formal tone in his written notes and emails to you. This is because:
A. Close friendship has nothing to do with business
B. The relationship is probably cooling
C. Writing is highly prized by the French, and style is important.
Picture Postcards: Bali street scene
Our street scene of the week comes to us from Carrie, our contributor in Bali who sent in this photo from Sanur Bali, Indonesia.
Learn more about Indonesia:
Indonesian Student Life: A trip to Sempu Island
Nyepi Day in Bali: Still. Slow. Soft. Gentle. Easy
Naming Children: Traditions in 13 different countries
Bicycle culture (and subculture) in the USA
Abroad, a lot of people conceptualize America as a “car-culture”. And they are, in large part, correct. It’s estimated that as many as 1 of every 6 jobs in the US is either directly or indirectly related to the auto industry. America’s rise to global economic stardom can be tied to the auto industry as well, along with the fossil fuel, agricultural, and arms industries. It’s hard to say for certain which came first, Americans’ propensity towards ultra-individualism, or the car, but they definitely are a marriage made in heaven.
Something that doesn’t get a lot of press internationally is the growing number of people in the USA who don’t own cars at all. Especially in larger cities, where public transportation is available, the combination of higher gas prices, parking fees, maintenance fees, inevitable parking tickets, road rage, and environmental impact are making it more and more attractive to explore non-auto options for transportation. As of 2009 35 million people in the USA took public transportation of some kind every weekday, not including people who walk or bicycle. Bicycle commuters in the USA are becoming a larger and larger demographic. In fact, in Portland Oregon, over 5% of commuter trips are taken on a bicycle. In the city of Chicago, where I reside, the number is much lower (1.15%) but that’s a 129% increase between 2000 and 2009, and all indications are that the number keeps going up.
Seasons around the world
Our contributors describe the different seasons in their countries and how people prepare for and celebrate them.
Northern California - Planting the garden in spring (by Jason)
Spring in Northern California means that sunny days return after a few months of intermittent winter rain. Usually towards the end of April or beginning of May we’ll go to the local nursery and buy vegetable plants (“starts”) for our raised garden plot that sits in the middle of our patio. We’ll buy several kinds of tomatoes, basil, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, cilantro, pole beans, chili peppers, melons and whatever else looks good.
Cucumber plot
Picture Postcards: Street Scene Mumbai, India
This photo of a woman selling spices on the streets of Mumbai, India was sent in by Anuradha, our contributor from India.
More about India:
New Year Celebrations in India
The Great Big Coorgi Wedding
I Wanted to Experience a Different Lifestyle
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