Fifteen Ways to Live Like Locals

As an American, we have been “spoiled” in our life of comfort. What is the best way learn? Step out of your comfort zone.

You must understand that we are not vacationing with guest services at our beck-and call. We are LIVING in other countries to learn about other cultures. While renting short-term apartments for month-long stays, this travel journey has allowed us to experience life in the shoes of others. How many people can say they walked a day-week-month in someone else’s shoes or home? Here are lessons we have learned about living like a local in Italy or Albania-so far. There will certainly be other lessons we learn about daily living when we reach other parts of the world.

1. We turn the 50-liter (13 gallon) water heater on and off with each use to conserve energy.

2. We sort trash based for a better recycling system (brown is organic, yellow is plastic or metal, green is glass, blue is _____)

3. We take one type of recycle/trash to the curb every day in small containers.

4. Each day the airconditioner fills a large water jusg and we empty that jug. Sometimes it is reused for plants or cleaning.

5. We wash a very small load of clothing every day or every-other day.

6. We hang all clothes to dry outside or inside on a rack or cord.

7. We buy water in plastic jugs for drinking and cooking. How we wish THIS country was better at recycling those jugs.

8. We grocery shop 3-5 times weekly and buy only enough for a couple days. It seems that without so many presevative in the food, it rots faster.

9. We learn not to pull the EMERGENCY cord in the tiny shower. This is for a real emergency.

10. We learn how to make our daily coffee in different ways (Italian Moka pot, French press, ______)

11. We learn to put the used toilet paper in a waste basket, not the toilet, then carry it to the trash weekly)

12. We learn to plug in our CO detector because CO and smoke detectors are not commonly required.

13. We learn that gates, doors, and windows have different ways of opening and closing.

14. We learn to fill our water bottles from the town fountains.

15. We learn to take the bus or train just like the locals.