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Your Shih Tzu Puppy’s First Bath Time

February 5th, 2012 No comments
Do not wait too long to start grooming your Shih Tzu. It is hard to make brushing a positive experience if you wait until your Shih Tzu is matted and start by yanking out the mats and tangles. If this becomes necessary, carefully clip out mats, then begin working with your mat-free Shih Tzu to acclimate it to grooming.

When you use scissors to remove mats, snip a few hairs at a time. Be sure you have clearance between the mat and the skin. If your Shih Tzu puppy is too wiggly to do this safely, please seek the help of a professional groomer.

Do not bathe your Shih Tzu puppy too frequently. You will risk drying out its skin and coat. Bathe your Shih Tzu puppy no more than once weekly and every two weeks if possible.

Create a positive association with bath time using the following steps:

1. Let him hop into his bathtub to eat treats you toss on the tub floor (without water in the tub). You can also place him in the tub if he cannot jump into the tube and feed him treats. Provide a nonskid surface on the tub floor. 2. To accustom your Shih Tzu puppy to towels try touching him, then rubbing him with the corner of a towel and feed him a treat. Gradually work up to more vigorous toweling. No water at this time. 3. Introduce the blow-dryer by starting with a handheld pet or human dryer set on low and hold a few feet away from him, turned so it does not blow on him. Feed treats during the process. Gradually bring the dryer closer and start by moving the air across his toes, then his legs. Continue until he is accustomed to the warm air blowing all over his body. 4. While he is standing in the tube, soak a sponge in warm water and dribble it over him. Allow your Shih Tzu puppy to shake it off, and then offer a treat. Gradually work up to turning the faucet on and allow him to stand in the water. Gently begin hosing him with the warm water. 5. Take a small amount of dog shampoo (I strongly recommend using HealthyPetNet shampoos instead of human shampoos). Lather a small part of his body. Rinse. The next time you are at this step, increase the soaping and rinsing until you are bathing the entire dog.

If you will follow these steps slowly, you should be able to teach your Shih Tzu puppy to enjoy his bath time, which will make this very important routine much easier for the both of you.



By: Connie Limon

About the Author:
Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Sign up at: http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com



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Natural Remedies for Athlete’s Foot

February 2nd, 2012 No comments
Are your feet itching and burning? Maybe you have Athlete’s Foot. Athlete’s foot is an infection of the upper layers of the skin and is predominantly found on the foot. It is often seen as an dry, itching, burning, scaling redness of the feet especially in the webbing of the toes. When left unchecked, sufferers may notice that their skin peels frequently and in extreme cases there may be cracking, pain and bleeding of the skin.

While commonly associated with the foot, athlete’s foot can also give rise to skin disorders such as jock-itch. It is caused by the overgrowth of certain types of fungus, including trichophyton, the ringworm fungus or the tinea pedis fungus, each of which can be easily transmitted from one person to the other upon contact. This contagious condition thrives in warm, moist environments and without the proper growing conditions; it will not survive at all.

Athlete’s foot is often transmitted when we walk around barefoot at public pools or in public showers, in locker or changing rooms, in home bathrooms, especially in the shower. It can also thrive in individuals who’s feet sweat excessively, who wear the same shoes without allowing them to fully dry out or when the feet are not dried thoroughly before covering them. Interestingly, this disorder is seen more often in teenagers and adult males.

In health circles, it is generally believed that prevention is the best course of action to take. If however, you do end up with a case of athlete’s foot, there are a number of natural and alternative health remedies you can employ.

Recommendations For Wellness

Avoid all yeast containing foods: yeast breads, fermented beverages (beer, wine, brandy, scotch, etc.) moldy cheeses, fermented vinegars, salad dressing, peanuts, biscuits, canned citrus fruit juices, cake mix, ice cream, all dried fruit, oranges, pickles, tomato sauce, sugars, yeast powder, processed and smoked meats, malt products, barbecue sauce, olives, mayonnaise, and chili peppers.

Avoid sugar (especially hidden sugars such as those found in soft drinks, pastries, canned fruits and vegetables), artificial sweeteners, and all refined carbohydrates.

Supplementation with a probiotic such as acidophilus can help to restore the good bacteria in the body and help protect you from infection.

If you are at the gym or at a public pool, wear sandals in the locker room, in the shower and in the pool area.

Wear cotton socks and if your feet tend to sweat, change them often, making sure you dry your feet well before putting on a fresh pair.

Sprinkle baking soda on your feet before putting your socks on to help absorb moisture.

When the weather is hot and humid, go barefoot or in sandals whenever possible.

Be sure to air your shoes out at night to allow any moisture in them to evaporate. If possible don’t wear the same pair of shoes every day.

A tincture of black walnut can be applied directly to the affected areas of the feet and toes to help kill the fungus.

Lemon balm, rosemary or a mixture of lavender oil and tea tree oil can be used externally to help eradicate the infection.

Herbs such as goldenseal, pau d’ arco, olive leaf extract or garlic can be taken internally to help heal the infection. They can also be applied externally the affected areas or by soaking the feet in a herbal bath made from these substances.

Some experts recommend adding grapefruit seed extract to your wash, especially when you are cleaning your socks, gym clothes, bath mat or towels.

© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer – www.soulhealer.com 2007. All rights reserved.



By: Dr. Rita Louise

About the Author:

Dr. Rita Louise, Ph D is a Naturopathic Physician & Medical Intuitive & founder of the Institute Of Applied Energetics and the host of Just Energy Radio. Let Dr. Rita assist you bringing health, healing and wholeness back into your life. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or listen live online to Dr. Rita on http://www.JustEnergyRadio.com.



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Here are a Few Tips on Electric Radiant Floor Heating

January 31st, 2012 No comments
Generally, in cold winter days stepping onto ice-cold and chilled floor in your room can be a great torture. Electric radiant floor heating is a great way to resolve the issue of cold floors in the morning. Similarly, on your bathroom tile in the morning stepping in can be tough especially when it is moist and damp. Perhaps it is one of the cruelest ways to wake up in the morning.

To protect our family members and ourselves especially small kids we take some extra precautions such as wearing slipper and bath mats. We literally spend a fortune to make our dream home where every member of our family can relax and enjoy irrespective or any weather. Nevertheless, some of us just do not care for the proper floor heating. However, if you care, electric radiant floor heating makes that possible.

No matter, what type or make electric radiant floor heating mats you have, they are almost same when it comes to construction. They have an aluminum foil heater with twin conductor having primary insulation of flouropolymer, which is sandwiched between two layers of specially reinforced aluminum foil.

Technically radiant heat is the most comfortable form of heating. Almost every electric radiant floor heating mat is simple to install & affordable to operate. Most electric radiant floor heating has the toughest and thinnest electric heating element on the market.

However, there are many companies that provide electric radiant floor heating mats and other systems, but a few have earned a great reputation in floor heating market segment. One such name is Warmup, which is the only company to offer radiant floor heat with a 30-year warranty, and a unique one-time homeowner transfer and a safe installation guarantee for total peace of mind.

Warmup is an award-winning, leading manufacturer of radiant floor heating products. They have a large range of radiant heating products for tile, stone, laminate, engineered wood and more.

Remember, as an informed customer you must ensure that every electric radiant floor heating mat meets all test requirements of IEC 60335. They should have all the necessary features, such as conforms to the requirements of CE marking, ease of laying and connection, temperature control through programmable / non-programmable thermostat, uniform heating, thermostat controller, proper earthing provision is provided for safety.

In addition to the above-mentioned features and characteristics for years of safe and trouble free service, they should also conform to the product safety requirements as per latest directives by the government.

Also as generally seen it is neither feasible nor economical to have alteration in our home construction. Therefore, we must choose a suitable electric radiant floor heating system that can be adjusted in our already existing setup. A wide range of heat-loads and sizes ensure suitability to different sizes and kinds of floorings.

They should be custom built based on our individual requirements of heat-loads, voltage requirements along with their lengths & width. Also as compared to other metals, they should be made of aluminum, which is technically considered as a green metal. At one hand, it is light in weight, while on other it does not emit any harmful greenhouse gases while heating.



By: Martin Applebaum

About the Author:

We provide information on electric radiant floor heating and electric floor heat. In these tough economic times, people are looking for ways to reduce their energy bills. Visit our site for more information on this heating alternative! http://www.radiantflooringheat.com

By M. Applebaum



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Your Guide to Bathroom Accessories

January 31st, 2012 No comments
If you’re working with a budget and need to add some life to your bathroom then adding some cheap and cheerful bathroom accessories is a great way to add some extra detail to your decor. This, of course, can also save you a lot of money too! The following are a few of the items you might want to think about when redecorating your bathroom.

Do you hate the sensation of walking on a wet bathroom floor – especially first thing in the morning? A wet bathroom floor floor is not only annoying but also downright dangerous. Any wet bathroom floor is a definite health hazard. One way to solve this problem is to invest in a good bath mat. They’re not the same drab old items that they used to be either. You can get discount bath mats in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors – just make sure whatever mat you choose is highly absorbent and easy to wash.

There’s nothing more annoying that having that well prepared bath overflow onto your floor and cause a mess is there? Why not invest in a water level bath alarm to make sure this never happens to you? That way you won’t have to keep a constant eye on the tub as it fills because an alarm sounds when the water reaches a certain level and you can stop the disaster before it starts.

Even the tidiest of bathrooms can be a messy place. All those cotton balls, soap wrappers and other toiletries need to be disposed of at some point. A pedestal bin is ideal in this situation because it’s opened easily with a foot pedal and then closes to keep the trash tidily out of sight. This type of bin is perfect for bathroom waste because it keeps it out of sight.

The shower curtain is another area to be addressed. The days of drab and droll shower curtains are long over. These come in styles ranging from plastic to fabric with patterns in numerous colors and designs. You can also purchase coordinating hooks and liners to further enhance your bathroom design scheme.

Before you start shopping online for the above accessories bear in mind that you’ll need to purchase them to suit a consistent theme so that the finished bathroom has a balanced look and feel to it. Nothing worse than a bathroom full of random accessories that just make no sense at all.



By: Niall Roche

About the Author:

Tired of your old bathroom and want to find some interior designs and ideas for bathrooms? Why not check out Bathroomcentral dot com for tons of bathroom decorating ideas.



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Quick, Easy

January 30th, 2012 No comments
Whether you want to spruce up your bathroom to make it a more calming space for you or you want to do it increase the resale value of your house, here are some quick inexpensive ways. The walls are biggest area of your bathroom and can be used to make the biggest impact. You will be surprised what a coat of paint can do to refresh the whole look of a bathroom.

If you plan on selling your house in the near future, use neutral colors on the wall and accent with bolder colors. Make sure you buy paint specially made for bathrooms as these are moisture resistant and easy to wipe clean. To personalize the walls get creative and stencil a border. A new shower curtain can be the focus of your “new” bathroom. Select a decorative shower curtain and build everything around it, even the wall color. This will ensure a themed and unified look to the entire space. Choose some special and decorative shower curtain hooks to add extra punch. You must buy coordinating window curtains and do not use mini blinds which give a very dated appearance.

A quick and easy trick to make plain tile look unique is by using tile transfers creatively. These are just like stickers and even come in embossed 3D look and go right on your existing tile. They are, of course, waterproof, washable and can be cleaned just like regular tile. You can also customize your other hard surface accessories with the same decals for a unified look. Replace accessories like tumblers, toothbrush holders, trays, lotion pumps, soap dishes, hamper and wastebaskets for an instant update to your bathroom. Use decorative baskets for scented soaps, candles, special lotions, and bath salts. Do not overdo the accessories because that will just create a cluttered look.

Select brightly colored or special towels and bath mats to further accent your room. Although the towels do not have to exactly match the shower and window curtain design, try to pick up one of the colors to stay with the theme. To keep within a low budget, you can take plain towels and sew on some lace or fringe to make them unique. If you are handy with a screw gun, replace your towel bars, towel rings, toilet paper holder and robe hooks. It will make a world of difference. Check out your local home improvement store for some of the new finishes like rustic bronze and brushed nickel to replace chrome which is now considered out-dated.

For finishing touches frame some calming prints or even pictures. Believe it or not the latest trend is to use personal photos in relaxing backgrounds like the beach or boating for the bathroom. A couple of indoor house plants will help bring some life and color into your bathroom. Do not worry if you do not have a green thumb because plants do very well in this humid environment. Go ahead and try some or even all of the above ideas for a quick and easy update to your bathroom and you will see what a difference it can make.



By: Ann McKee

About the Author:
Ann is a home based business entrepreneur who researches various topics and reviews internet products. For more information on other popular topics visit Info From Ann and for bathrooms visit Your Bathroom



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Bath Time Safety

January 30th, 2012 No comments
Bath time can and should be one of the most enjoyable times of the day for parents and children; a perfect opportunity to bond and relax with baby. But once baby has moved into the big tub, the big shiny faucet and warm streaming water can be too much to resist, despite mom and dad’s repeated warnings. So how can parents ensure that bath time is safe, enjoyable and relaxing for everyone? A few precautionary measures go a long way.

Stay in Touch

The single most important action that a parent must take each time a bath is given is touch supervision. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), touch supervision requires that an adult be within arm’s reach of baby at all times. If you cannot touch your baby at any time during the bath, then you are too far away.

Nationally, drowning is the third leading cause of injury-related deaths in children younger than one and the second leading cause of injury-related deaths in children ages one to four. In fact, young children can drown in less than two inches of water, according to AAP’s Injury Prevention Program (TIPP). Drowning frequently occurs quickly and quietly, in the amount of time it would take a parent to take or make a phone call. Regardless of the intended time of absence, a parent must never leave baby unattended in the tub at any time for any reason. Very simply, touch supervision saves lives. No gizmo or gadget will prevent drowning or substitute for the adult supervision that can.

Keep Your Distance

The second most important action a parent must take is to protect baby from the faucet and fixtures. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, 5,000 children a year require emergency room treatment for tap water burns. The AAP warns that the bathtub is a source of severe scalding burns. In addition to burns, contact with the faucet can cause injuries resulting in stitches, bumps, bruises, scrapes and even chipped teeth. The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Columbus Children’s Hospital found that 75 percent of kids under age five who were hurt in the tub were being supervised at the time.

When selecting safety products for the bath, avoid products that will attract a baby. Bright colors, shiny materials, and happy animals will all draw babies towards them, despite their intended safety purpose.

In addition to touch supervision and the right safety products, parents should also take the following precautions when bathing baby:

- Set water heater to 120 degrees or less.

- Check water temperature on the inside of your wrist before placing baby in the bath.

- Place a rubber mat or non-slip appliqués on the bottom of the tub.

- Have bathing supplies, clothes and towels already assembled prior to baby’s bath.

- Always bathe baby using as little water as necessary.

- Do not allow other children to substitute for adult supervision.

With the right preparation, precaution and products, bath time can be less struggle and more fun.



By: IC

About the Author:

TheBabyBathGate is a site specialized in baby care products. Get info on baby safety gates, faucet protection cover and learn how to baby proof your bath from an expert source.



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Unique And Tasteful Bathroom Decorating

January 16th, 2012 No comments
Bathrooms are one of the hardest rooms in the house to decorate with any style. After all, most of what goes on there is private and unattractive. Thus, using decorating techniques that compliment the typically small space while making it an inviting place to shower, among other things, takes a little thought.

One of the easiest ways to decorate a bathroom as an amateur is to start with the shower curtain. This is one of the most noticeable items in the bathroom for showers without doors. The shower curtain that matches a predetermined décor may not exist anywhere outside of your head. Thus, beginning here means you will have the shower curtain that you want with a color scheme and décor that you can match as you go along.

Once you reach the conclusion of which shower curtain best fits your needs, move along to the walls. A lot of people love to hang wallpaper in their bathrooms, but it really isn’t recommended if the walls can be painted. Invariably, over time, the wallpaper on a bathroom wall begins to peel away from the high humidity of the room. Painting the walls a complimentary color (not the same color) to the shower curtain gives you the next springboard to continue your decorating ideas.

Bear in mind that people decorate in all different ways. Some people lay out every single detail first and then just go about finding what they have already decided upon. Some people work better on a step by step basis, while other decide on three or four vital elements and then add the intricate details as the project continues ahead. Which ever method works best for you should be the method of choice.

Unless your going with a fun bathroom décor, fuzzy bathmats, toilet seat covers, and other sorts of fuzzy mass produced sorts of accents aren’t really all that attractive. You want to keep a bathroom simple and allow for basic decorating. While the bathroom is the hardest room in the house to decorate, it should also be the room that is decorated with the simplest of accents. Cluttering a bathroom just makes it appear untidy. A few simple and elegant accent pieces, especially if they are combined as a functional piece, seem to attract the eye better than accenting in the masses. If you can find a decorative toothbrush holder that matches the direction you are taking your décor, you won’t need to find a decorative piece for the vanity while adding the additional toothbrush holder. Fortunately, these things are becoming easier to find as companies are realizing that people want things such as decorative toothbrush holders.

Using neutral functional pieces, such as a teak or bamboo bath mat allows for subtle changes in the décor as you wish to change your accent pieces. This can keep a subtle room subtle or a big room big or whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish in the bathroom without requiring the chronic changing of the bath mat.

Using soft colors in the bathroom makes it more inviting. Bold colors make it feel a bit sterile and unusable. Blending soft colors throughout the room can create a very pleasant and soothing environment in which to take care of personal business.



By: Jessica Ackerman

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Homeshop India – Buy Personal Care Products

January 14th, 2012 No comments
 

Looking for Personal Care Products for health available in market? Here are some of them you are searching for. Have a look below:

(1). Massage Cushion Seat

Introduction:

According to the message theory of traditional medicine science, by reference to human ergonomics, and combining the work and life habits of modern people, the microcomputer magnetic massage cushion integrates various traditional massage methods by adopting microcomputer technology, which will improve blood circulation when you enjoy the massage. The allocated far infrared heating also makes the winter become as warm as spring.

Features:



Can be used in home, car and office

Releases stress, fatigue and tension

Facilitates blood circulation and improves look

Takes away the pains from joints and back

Cures the neurasthenia and relieves the nervousness



(2). Kent Ozone Dental Jet

A personalized high pressure water jet to clean hidden or stuck food particles between teeth or in crevices. Best suited for teeth with braces to remove food particles lodged around braces.

Features:



A sharp water jet mixed with Ozone Gas, a proven natural disinfectant, sterilizes and disinfects mouth by killing harmful germs

Ozone Gas, an effective bleach, makes the teeth whiter

Provides lasting freshness of breath

Builds a healthy dental practice, leading to better dental hygiene, prevention of toothache, gum disorders & other diseases

Rated power dissipation: 12W



(3). Bubble Spa

Designed to duplicate the effects of a whirlpool bath, this bath spa swirls the water and generates powerful bubbles to relax the mind, revitalize the body and leave you feeling totally refreshed.

The Bubble Spa Bath Mat creates a little bit of luxury when you need it most without paying celebrity prices. There’s no need to go to the expense of a spa day when you feel in need of a spot of pampering – a good long soak in the bath works wonders for tired muscles.

Features:



Your very own private hygiene and wellness SPA

Improves flexibility and increases muscle endurance

Soft air mat with 9 inch flexible air hose, mat fills with air to cushion your body

Powerful AC motor maintains warmth of bath water by producing warm bubbles

Timer facility to set bath spa for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour

Convenient wireless remote control brings massage options to your fingertips



Author suggests you to buy personal care products from homeshop india online and get maximum discount.



By: Mohit Sharma

About the Author:

Mohit Sharma giving you the latest and best information to buy exercise and fitness equipment from homeshop.18.



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How Rugs Enhance A Room

January 9th, 2012 No comments
There are hundreds of different types of rugs available. They come in many shapes, sizes, and designs. Rugs can make any ordinary looking room look divine. It is amazing what a rug or two can do to brighten up a room, and they can totally transform an area.

Besides being decorative, some rugs have different purposes. These purposes can vary, depending on the person, or where the rug is.

Some rugs, which are almost always referred to as door mats, have a few purposes.

The main purpose of a door mat is to allow people entering the home to wipe their feet on. Their shoes could contain snow, water from rain, or any other type of debris. The door mat eliminates, or at least minimizes the amount of dirt that is tracked into a person’s house. Another purpose of a door mat is simply to add to the décor in the room.

The mat could be purchased to match the furniture, or several different mats can be interchanged according to the time of the year. There are some really lovely Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas mats available. There are even some mats available for the patriotic people out there. These special mats come in various types of flag colors.

Another type of rug, the outdoor rug, is quite popular. These rugs are constructed from very durable and weather-proof material. They are available in numerous styles and colors, and can add definition to a patio or backyard.

Many rugs not only enhance the beauty of an area, but can also help keep a person’s feet warm. Countless people choose to have hardwood floors in their homes. In the winter if left bare, these types of floors tend to become very cold. For those who like to walk around the house in their socks, or even barefoot, this can be a problem. With the addition of a beautiful new area rug, it will not only add attractiveness to the room, but will allow coverage of all or most of the floor, providing warmth.

Not many people like to leave their bathroom floors bare, not matter how nice the linoleum may be. Bathroom rugs look great, even if it’s not anything fancy. As long as it matches the other décor in the room, it will make it look good. Besides, who wants to get out of the bathtub and step on a cold, bare floor? Not many people would, so this is why having a rug, especially a special bath mat is a smart idea.

So no matter what room you’re looking to decorate and make look good, rugs are a must-have. Our links are great websites to visit.



By: Stacey Day

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Advice For A New ESL Teacher

January 8th, 2012 No comments
When you first arrive in your assigned country, the first few minutes can be shocking. The air smells different, the people surging around you are likely different, the looks of buildings and storefronts and wares for sale may all be different.

If you are in modern country, such as Japan, you will likely feel only slightly uncomfortable, as the airport will be clean and streamlined, although perhaps twice as busy as you expected. But signs will be in English, and you will have no problem navigating through the airport to the outside world.

If you are in a third-world country, the airport could be a far cry from anything remotely comfortable, with military soldiers everywhere, a crush of people, strange maybe even repulsive smells in the air, total chaos. If you are alone, this can be especially intimidating.

When I arrive in a new country, I am always surprised at the first few moments outside the airport. The sky looks different, the air smells different, the chaos of people coming and going is different. Finding a bus or taxi or jeepney can be a fun experience but it is more likely to be a trying experience, so it is best if someone can meet you and help you get oriented for the first trip from the airport to your place of residence.

Depending on your guest country, and the resources available, you may get a private room with a private bathroom, or a shared room and a public bathroom.

The school may look a wee bit different from the brochures, which tend to highlight greenery and other colourful aspects. Brochures also don’t tell you about oppressive tropical heat, or cold winds from the mountains.

Before starting your trip, you should read up on the culture of the country. For example, in Thailand, people would be shocked if you touched a child’s head, or if you washed your underwear and hung it outside to dry.

During my stay in Thailand, I managed a software development project and hired a couple of university-educated Thai women to help. We worked out of my two-bedroom apartment. One moved into the spare bedroom in the apartment, and the other slept on the sofa five nights a week. The one in the bedroom said she lived a long way away and the daily commute was aggravating. Fair enough. But the second one lived 20 minutes away by elevated electric train. I never really understood why she wanted to live with me. Perhaps I was a father-figure for her.

One day, I rounded up all the towels to put in the washing machine. The women had their own bathroom, and the towels were provided by me. The apartment was modern and fully equipped.

One of the women said, “Doug, what are you doing?”

I said, “I’m going to wash all the towels in the machine.”

She said, “But you took the white one.”

The white one was a cotton bathmat that had been on the floor in front of the shower.

“Yes, I will wash it with the others.”

“Doug, you can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s for the feet.”

Apparently in Thai culture, you don’t sully your body towels with foot towels.

I said, “Sorry, this is a machine, very hot water, with detergent and fabric softener. I am going to wash all the towels and bath mats together.”

She was unhappy with this, had a strange look on her face, like I had said something totally disgusting.

After the towels had been washed and dried, I took one of the bath towels and held it under her nose, and said, “Smell this.”

She took a whiff and said, “Oh, Doug, smell very good.”

I said, “That’s the fabric softener, it has perfume to make the towels smell good.”

Then I held the white bath mat under her nose. She didn’t move away, although I expected her to. “Smell this one.”

“Doug, same same.”

“Yes,” I said, “and now you know why I washed them together. In your culture, you wash them by hand, and would do the foot mats last. In my Western culture, with machines, we put them all in together and they come out the same.”

She accepted that. In this case Western culture overruled Thai culture.

As I write this in November 2007, a British ESL teacher has been arrested in Sudan, which is a Muslim country, for letting her primary school students name a teddy bear “Muhammed”. Although this is a very common name in Sudan and other Muslim countries, giving a toy bear this name is apparently insulting to Islam, according to the charges against her. One of the parents of the students complained to police and she was arrested. If found guilty, she could receive many years in prison, a hefty fine, and 40 lashes with a whip.

So learning something about the culture you will be living in is advice you should take seriously.

In Central and parts of South America, for instance, you might think the culture is Spanish, and that is certainly the dominant one, but the underlying Mayan culture is still there, especially amongst people whose primary language is Quechua or Aymara. Don’t assume you understand their culture because you know about Mexican or Spanish culture. Do some research first, so as to help you understand where they are coming from, and try to structure your lessons to fit with their culture. This can be as simple as changing place names: don’t talk about the Mississippi River, for example, use a local river instead. They will associate with that, but not associate with the Mississippi.

The beliefs and attitudes of your guest country will potentially be different from what you naively expected, so research! research! research!

As you become accustomed to your new daily routine, students, and fellow teachers, you will discover that some of the teachers have become cynical with time. They may have been there 20 years, and never say anything good about the place; they seem to live in a cloud of negativity. You will be eager and fired up and enjoying the challenge; they will talk about police purges, stupid management at the school, incompetent governments, corruption, and whatnot. The list is never-ending. Try to avoid these people. Live your own life, and be happy with the little differences and challenges that are thrown your way.

In Thailand, the vast majority of people are Buddhists. They are taught from an early age to meet adversity with a smile. One time, I was waiting under an awning for a tropical downpour to lessen. I watched a young lady attempt to cross the flooded street in front of me. She stepped in a hidden pothole, lost her balance, and fell face first into 6 inches of dirty water. She stood up, brushed the water off her face, and laughed. If that had been me, I would have been cursing. But she was a Buddhist. She laughed.

Meet adversity with a smile.

A good philosophy to live by.

If your assignment is in a third-world country, find out if the school and/or students have basic supplies. In rural Peru, for example, there might be one small chalkboard for a one-room school, no paper at all, and certainly no pens or pencils. While that kind of school is not going to have English classes, you can still help them enormously by traveling with two suitcases, one for your stuff, and the other filled with notebooks, pencils, chalk, small chalkboards, crayons, art paper, children’s scissors, etc. Before you start your flight, contact the school and find out if they need these supplies, or if they can put you in touch with a rural school that does. Those $50 worth of supplies might be more than a rural school has ever seen and will make a big difference.

Another piece of advice: keep a journal of your experiences. If you have Internet access, create a blog and update it regularly. But in any case, be careful not to write anything in your journal or blog that is critical of the school management, the local religion, or the government. That journal will be a treasured keepsake in future years, and remain with you the rest of your life.

After you’ve been living and teaching for a while in the guest country, returning to your home town in your native country can be a jarring experience: culture shock in reverse. You became an ESL teacher for the fun of travel, the joy of discovering a new culture, and now you’re back in Wal-Mart or Tesco standing in a queue behind an enormous fat lady with a shopping cart full of junk. Your mother is glad to see you, but you find your town boring, the food bland and voluminous.

If you are back for good, and have to get a job, you will probably find yourself bored out of your skull working in an office. Your co-workers will have no interest in your ESL experiences and couldn’t care less about the things you did and the places you went.

Pretty soon you will be scouring the Internet looking for other ESL jobs; you’ve got to follow your dreams, wherever they take you…



By: Douglas Anderson

About the Author:
Doug Anderson has a web site with English grammar tips and ESL teacher tips at www.learn-faster.org/English



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