{"id":557,"date":"2012-03-28T19:43:15","date_gmt":"2012-03-28T19:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/?p=557"},"modified":"2012-10-14T20:11:35","modified_gmt":"2012-10-14T20:11:35","slug":"while-living-in-foreign-country-you-might-periodically-ask-yourself-what-is-this-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/while-living-in-foreign-country-you-might-periodically-ask-yourself-what-is-this-thing\/","title":{"rendered":"While living in foreign country you might periodically ask yourself: What is this thing?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>What is this thing?!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You eyes search around for a purpose.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I can<\/strong><strong>\u2018t see what this is for?!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You try and fiddle around with it.<\/p>\n<p>Try and turn it on! Is this right?<\/p>\n<p>I just found this on the bottom of one of my walls, very close to the floor, and just outside my bathroom.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/screen-shot-2012-03-28-at-7-45-16-pm.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"Screen shot 2012-03-28 at 7.45.16 PM\" src=\"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/screen-shot-2012-03-28-at-7-45-16-pm.png?w=220&#038;h=300&#038;fit=220%2C300&#038;resize=220%2C300\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>When I turn it on, the green light goes on but nothing happens.\u00a0 So, I guess I will just keep it off.\u00a0 Thank goodness for the internet.\u00a0 It turns out it is some sort of thermostat.\u00a0 I am still not for sure if I will use it though.\u00a0 For sure people don\u2019t typically have these things on the walls (near the floor) in homes in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>While living in another country, this was what my washing machine looked like; the Little Swan.\u00a0 Not knowing how to read Chinese characters, I for sure had no clue what kind of functions this machine had or could do.\u00a0 I guess you just take a guess and try to get it started some how and hope that you can get someone into your home to show you how to use it!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/home.php\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"IMG_2614\" src=\"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/img_2614.jpg?w=300&#038;h=168&#038;fit=300%2C168&#038;resize=300%2C168\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The joys of living in a house or an apartment in a different country!\u00a0 Many international school teachers have worked in more than one country and in each country there are definitely going to be these \u201cthings\u201d that just don\u2019t look right, that we can\u2019t figure out or that we can\u2019t (initially) understand the purpose of.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.com\/2011\/06\/23\/pop-quiz-what-is-this\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"Screen shot 2012-03-02 at 4.13.21 PM\" src=\"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/screen-shot-2012-03-02-at-4-13-21-pm.png?w=600&#038;resize=398%2C89\" alt=\"\" width=\"398\" height=\"89\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>International School Community would like to highlight a few parts of this blogger\u2019s entry (living in Jordan) who had a similar experience with a \u2018thing\u2019 in her bathroom:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis a picture of something on the floor in the bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry room. What do these rooms have in common? What is it?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/drain1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"drain1\" src=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/drain1.jpg?w=300&#038;h=168&#038;fit=300%2C168&#038;resize=300%2C168\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/drainopen.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"drainopen\" src=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/drainopen.jpg?w=300&#038;h=168&#038;fit=300%2C168&#038;resize=300%2C168\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer<\/strong>: Okay, you are super smart. It\u2019s a drain. But on the floor? Why?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Part II<\/strong>: What is this?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/squeegee-e1308831348199.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"squeegee\" src=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/squeegee-e1308831348199.jpg?w=168&#038;h=300&#038;fit=168%2C300&#038;resize=168%2C300\" alt=\"\" width=\"168\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer<\/strong>: No duh, it\u2019s a squeegee, right. Is it for windows? No!\u00a0What is the relationship between the drains and the squeegee?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Put it all together and what do you get?\u00a0<\/strong>It\u2019s actually quite ingenious. The drain I\u2019ll grant you is disgusting looking. When I opened it the first time, I shuddered. I\u2019d clean it out, but we have a \u2018house cleaner\u2019 who does that (and no, I\u2019m not trying to sound obnoxious. I\u2019ve never had a house cleaner because we could never afford one, but here it\u2019s so cheap, i.e. see pedicure blog, that we can\u2019t afford not to have someone clean the house). Anyway, I\u2019ve witnessed the magic of the marriage these two items firsthand. You wash your floor with a mop and then squeegee all of the excess water into the drain. Isn\u2019t that smart? Who knew? Well, you probably knew, but it took me a week to figure it out. I\u2019ll let you tally your own score on this first pop quiz. Don\u2019t be smug is you did well. They\u2019ll get harder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/jenmaaninamman.com\/2011\/06\/23\/pop-quiz-what-is-this\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-width: 3px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;\" title=\"Treasury at Petra\" src=\"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/treasury-at-petra.jpg?w=329&#038;h=438&#038;fit=329%2C438&#038;resize=329%2C438\" alt=\"\" width=\"329\" height=\"438\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Currently, there are 8 international schools listed under Jordan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school_list.php\" target=\"_blank\">International School Community<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"research_td_f_507\">\n<div id=\"research_td_f_507\">\n<div id=\"research_td_f_285\">\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/348\/International_Community_School_Of_Amman\">International Community School of Amman<\/a> (0 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/349\/Modern_American_School\">Modern American School<\/a> (0 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/350\/American_Community_School_%28Amman%29\">American Community School (Amman)<\/a> (4 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/351\/Amman_Baccalaureate_School\">Amman Baccalaureate School<\/a> (8 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/353\/The_International_Academy_%28Amman%29\">The International Academy (Amman)<\/a> (8 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/818\/The_International_School_Of_Choueifat_%28Amman%29\">The International School of Choueifat (Amman)<\/a> (0 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/986\/Ahliyyah_School_For_Girls\">Ahliyyah School for Girls<\/a> (4 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school\/352\/King%26%23039%3BS_Academy\">King\u2019s Academy<\/a> (7 Comments)<\/p>\n<p>Check out the latest comments and information that have been submitted on these schools or submit your own at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.internationalschoolcommunity.com\/school_list.php\" target=\"_blank\">International School Community<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Also, we encourage you to leave a comment about the strange things you have found in your home while living in a foreign country.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is this thing?! You eyes search around for a purpose. I can\u2018t see what this is for?! You try and fiddle around with it. Try and turn it on! Is this right? I just found this on the bottom of one of my walls, very close to the floor, and just outside my bathroom. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9],"tags":[364,40,42,1113,187,1114,186,1115,46,1116,1117],"class_list":["post-557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-discussion-topics","tag-amman","tag-culture-shock","tag-expat-life","tag-experiences","tag-international-school-educator","tag-international-school-life","tag-international-school-teacher","tag-international-schools-in-jordan","tag-living-abroad","tag-living-in-amman","tag-living-in-china"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-8Z","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":129,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/blogs-of-international-school-teachers-school21c-conversations-about-21st-century-education\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":0},"title":"Blogs of international school teachers: School21C \u2013 Conversations about 21st Century Education","author":"ISCommunity","date":"January 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you inspired to start up a blog about your adventures living abroad? Our 14th blog that we would like to highlight is called \u201cSchool21C \u2013 Conversations about 21st Century Education.\u201d\u00a0 Check out the blog entries of this international school director who is currently working at International School of Prague.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blogs of International Teachers&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blogs of International Teachers","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/blogs-of-international-teachers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/01\/screen-shot-2012-01-02-at-6-21-09-pm.png?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":590,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/international-school-community-newsletter-v2012-04-07-april-2012\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":1},"title":"International School Community Newsletter v2012.04 \u2013 07 April, 2012","author":"ISCommunity","date":"April 7, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"v2012.04 \u2013 7 April, 2012: We hope everyone is enjoying their spring break.\u00a0 The range of different countries being visited during this time of traveling (with the international school teachers that the ISCommunity staff know) is quite intreguing and exciting: Bucharest, Tbilisi, Aruba, Madrid, Amersterdam, Bangkok, Colombo, Almaty, Tenerife, London,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ISCommunity Newsletters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ISCommunity Newsletters","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/is-community-newsletters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/3ce778129346ad12b7b0d02fb\/images\/IMG_0004b14a9c.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8280,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/so-many-international-schools-without-retirement-plans\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":2},"title":"So Many International Schools WITHOUT Retirement Plans!","author":"ISCommunity","date":"February 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It is on all international school teachers' minds. How am I helping to contribute to my future now (for when I retire\/stop working) as a current teacher in the international school community? Not that everything is all worry-free if you just stayed teaching and earning money in your home country,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Information for Members&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Information for Members","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/information-for-members\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bills-496229_1280-1024x682.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bills-496229_1280-1024x682.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bills-496229_1280-1024x682.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/bills-496229_1280-1024x682.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":398,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/blogs-of-international-school-teachers-gringo-writing-a-line-at-a-time-in-ecuador\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":3},"title":"Blogs of international school teachers: \u201cGringo writing a line at a time in Ecuador\u201d","author":"ISCommunity","date":"June 9, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you inspired to start up a blog about your adventures living abroad? Check out the experiences of another teacher from the moment they signed the contract to what they are writing about after a few years working abroad. Our 3rd blog that we would like to highlight is called\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blogs of International Teachers&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blogs of International Teachers","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/blogs-of-international-teachers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/06\/screen-shot-2011-06-09-at-8-43-54-pm.png?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8348,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/11-international-schools-that-have-a-good-work-life-balance\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":4},"title":"11 International Schools that foster the best Work-Life Balance","author":"ISCommunity","date":"May 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"No international school teacher is looking to be worked to the bone without any time to enjoy life outside of work or experience the culture of their host country. Many of us left our home countries to escape poor work-life balance at our homeland schools. Teachers want to do their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Top 10 Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Top 10 Lists","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/top-10-lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/work-life-balance-5333802_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/work-life-balance-5333802_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/work-life-balance-5333802_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/work-life-balance-5333802_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/work-life-balance-5333802_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C857&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":400,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/international-school-community-news-v2011-02-7-june-2011\/","url_meta":{"origin":557,"position":5},"title":"International School Community News v2011.02 \u2013 7 June, 2011","author":"ISCommunity","date":"June 9, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"v2011.02 \u2013 7 June, 2011: Well, the school year is winding down for most of us.\u00a0 Some int\u2019l schools are already out and some still have a month to go!\u00a0 Either way summer is upon us and travel awaits.\u00a0 Most of us go back to our home countries, some of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ISCommunity Newsletters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ISCommunity Newsletters","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/is-community-newsletters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gallery.mailchimp.com\/3ce778129346ad12b7b0d02fb\/images\/International_School_Community_Newsletter1305360126.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/557\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}