Assume makes ass+u+me

Sometimes it’s hard for people to imagine what life is like beyond what we are used to. After being surrounded by a certain environment for an extended period of time, it can be harder to picture what life is like beyond the walls you see every day. Douglas Adams goes into detail about how his assumptions were changed after some experiences during his travels. During the first section of the Blind Panic chapter, he describes the differences between the western and eastern hemispheres. He was impressed with the water spiraling down the drain the opposite way in Australia and how it caught him off guard at first. Another example is how the telephone dials in New Zealand are the completely different. It is just a habit to jump to the conclusion that everything is going to be the same as you’re used to it being so when you’re faced with something completely different, it takes awhile for you to concentrate on what you’re having to do and to reverse the whole process. He goes on to explain on page 144, “The habit of telephone dials is so deep that it has become an assumption, and you don’t even know you’re making it.” Even though the water drained the same way and the telephone dials were the same in China, some of their other traditions or habits were different. He expands upon the fact that he grew an obsession with aftershave and bought cans wherever he went. While in China, he attempted to get rid of some of these cans but failed due to the maid who cleaned his room. He also had a hard time attaining clean, cold water to brush his teeth. It becomes humorous to both him and the readers that he has such a hard time getting rid of his new obsession of aftershaves and can’t find a way to cool the boiling water without the maid revoking it from its hiding place. No matter where he tries to hide the cooling cup of water or the can of aftershave, it’s always found and stored perfectly in place with the other items. I thought this was humorous because I could semi relate. I went with my mom and sister to Italy in the summer of 2006 and our stops was Venice, Florence, then Rome. Whenever we traveled, especially through the trains from location to location, we would save some of the food we gained or was given for if we ever got hungry in between meals or while walking around. In our hotel room we set the food out but evidently the maid thought it was trash because she threw the food away. Different cultures have different ways of doing things and thinking, and one can't help but laugh when faced with awkward or difficult situations through assumptions.