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Culture Shock
Imagine my Americanized surprise to find this page in my daughter’s school book:
The bird is in the birdhouse. The cat is in the garbage. The cow is in the shed. The fish is in the water.
Doubletake.
The cat is in the garbage?
Indeed, in most parts of Israel cats are not pets, they are rodent control and garbage scavengers. They are considered almost like rats (and as infectious).
Even when we think we know what we’re all talking about (cats), sometimes we don’t know at all.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:54 am
פעמים רבות מדברים על הבדלי תרבות, ביחוד במקומות כמו שאני עובדת בהם, מקומות בהם חוסר מודעות להבדלי התרבות גורמים להרבה “פספוסים” וחוסר הבנה.
אני מודה על על הארה קטנה זו של עוד הבדל בין-תרבותי.
אילו חיות מסתובבות בערים בארה”ב? חוץ מעכברים ומקקים!
אצלנו חתול זה המובן מאליו! ובשכונה שלנו- גם צפרדעים, בגלל הואדי הצמוד.
שבת שלום
לימור
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Thanks, Limor!
It’s illuminating to hear the “Israeli” view. I imagine that local city wildlife depends on the locations; the usual suspects are cats, mice, rats, lizards, and so on. Rural areas (not in the city environment) get much more variation: mountain lions, bears, deer, raccoons, rabbits, possums, skunk, snakes, even alligators. But “house cats” are always seen as a type of pet — even the wild ones are treated as pets that somehow lost their home, not as part of wild nature (or the rodent underworld).
Thank you for your comment!
Sarah
————–
Translation of Limor’s comment for English readers:
“We often speak about cultural differences, especially in places such as those in which I work, where lack of awareness about cultural differences causes much mis-understanding. Thank you for noting yet another cultural difference. What animals roam the cities of the United States? Other than mice and rats! By us, the cat is understood. And in our neighborhood — also frogs, because of the adjacent wadi. Shabbat Shalom, Limor.”
November 29th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
It’s also possible that the concept person asked the artist to draw a basket, thinking of a comfy basket for a pet and there was a misunderstanding.
Something similar happened to a UK editor (whom I know) who asked a US artist for a zebra crossing and was surprised to get a zebra crossing a street rather than the pedestrian crossing she wanted.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:47 am
I love the zebra crossing story!
Sadly (as Limor confirms above), cats really are a sub-species of rodent in Israel (at least, that’s how people relate to them). I’m sure someone must have a pet cat somewhere, but I haven’t come across it; just the ones leaping out of the dumpsters as I toss my bag in.
Thanks for your comment.
February 16th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Lots of people have cats as pets. Most of the cats on the streets never belonged to anyone, though. I know several people who feed and take care of the cats that live in their area. It’s unfortunate, but I think it’s better these days compared to the amount there was in the past.