Culture Shock: Water In Europe

 Culture shock when I was in Europe. 

My first night at my sister’s house, she offered me water. I was expecting bottled water or from a dispenser. To my shock, she took water from her faucet and then gave it to me. 😮 

I honestly have not had tap water in 30 years! This figure is not an exaggeration. 

When I was in elementary, I was playing and drank water from the faucet outside our house like usual. Take note, there was a nearby well where we live. 

I got sick with amoebiasis. Ama brought be to Makati Medical Center and had my tests, stool, etc. MD prescribed huge tablets I didn’t think I could swallow. I honestly thought drug names were Abbot and Roche, lol. Now that I work in pharmacy. I realized they were the manufacturers. 

From then on we would boil water, cool it down, so I could drink water. Eventually transitioned to having to buy purified water in a jug or container. 

Our fridge here in California has a filter and water dispenser. But I never drink it. My husband would always buy purified water from the water station and would keep 4 gallons at home. Yes, trauma is still here. 

So I when I got up the next day at Sam’s house, I told my husband I was hungry but didn’t want to eat yet since my sister was still asleep. Even though she gave me permission to ransack her fridge. My husband texted “drink water”

That’s when I sent him a crying emoji and sent a message

“ she (my sister) doesn’t have bottled water. She gave me tap water :(“ 

It seemed very maarte. But when you’re in a situation you’re not used to, what do you do? 

Well, after some hesitations, I trusted the European water system and drank it. I still paid for water when we were at restaurants. Also imagine my shock when they wouldn’t give me free water? Hehehe. Here, at restaurants the first thing they ask is drinks. Water is free unless it’s sparkling. 

And yes I told my friend Maris that I couldn’t believe she doesn’t have a water dispenser. But everyday I was at her home I’d refill my plastic bottle with her tap Belgian water 🙂

Edit:

I forgot to add. My mom and I had a conversation with one of her favorite movies. Guess what? Erin Brockovich. You could only imagine the conversation that ensues.