Believing That You Can
not wash clothes or dishes by hand like the way I did in my
birth country. In the old days, I dried my clothes by
hanging them on the clothesline. I could not go too far from
home because my clothes would get wet if it rained. Then I
had to wash and dry them again. In the United States, I dry
my clothes in a dryer. I can dry them any time I want, no
matter rain or shine. I do not need to go fetch water from
somewhere to use.
The water rushes out endlessly when I turn on a faucet.
When I lived in a small village in my hometown, I carried
water from a community well a quarter of a mile from my
house and stored it in a tank for everyday living. Living in
the United States can be difficult, too. Before I can own all
machines to help me do my chores, I must work very hard
to earn enough money for these robots. After that, I have to
pay fat bills for electricity and water to the electric company
and the city forever. I cannot hang my clothes to dry
outside. Some neighbors might write a letter to me if I do
that. In addition, it will not look nice for our beautiful
scenario of the neighborhood. The experiences from living
in a different county help me to appreciate living in the
United States. I enjoy the easy part of living in the United
States, but still I am aware of and prepare for the high cost
of this life style.
Tueny Wittman is studying English as a second language at NWFSC in
Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.