Define "Standard"

During our courtship my boyfriend (now my smiling fiance') often reminded me that the world revolves around the sun and that the United States of America is not the the center of the world. However, growing up an American you are constantly reminded that we are the "World Super Power," during the Olympics the commentators continued to remind viewers that America has the largest economy even though China has more people. ...And of course we hold the "World Series" in baseball even though we only allow American teams to compete. So what else is a Colorado girl supposed to think other than her definition of "standard" would equate to what everyone else in the world's view is. Now that I am living in a foreign country (now I'm the foreigner) I'm being reminded daily (by people other than my fiance) that my definition of "standard" is not how the world always works.

Example one, on my first journey to the grocery store by myself at the deli counter (and after recovering from the fact that NZ does not carry sliced turkey) I ordered a "half pound of ham". The deli worker stared blankly and then asked how much I wanted. Still completely ignorant I ordered "half pound of ham." Now as an American if someone can not understand us we just talk louder so I figured she couldn't hear me and repeated my order in full voice. Then I realized that she wanted to know how many grams I wanted. Since my only reference to grams is hearing about cocaine drug reports during my time working at the courthouse (I couldn't picture what 3 grams of powder was compared to 3 grams of meat), I instead ordered "3 scoops." The deli worker complied, handed me the bag of sandwich fixings and I'm sure she internally rolled her eyes ......we wonder why we're so easy to mock?

Another example, while shopping for a desk we also decided on a filling cabinet. As we were checking out my fiance asked how much their hanging file folders are. I infactically told him that I already had some hanging folders (some very nice purple ones that I had just bought new in the US). My fiance' told me that my hanging folders won't fit in a NZ file cabinet. they won't fit. The manager interrupted and asked "what size are your folders" and I said, "they are standard...you know 8.5"x11" to hold standard paper"

Both the manager and my fiance smiled at each other knowing that my pretty colored folders would fall into the gap of their "standard" drawers. Don't worry we still didn't buy new ones and I once home I tried to hang my folders in the drawers to no avail. .....oh so this is why people think Americans are arrogant

The third example. While we were furniture shopping we were looking at different styles of couches. We've decided that we need one larger couch and one smaller one to fill up the living room. While explaining this to the saleswoman I asked if there was a couch that was longer than "standard" size. She inquired on what is "standard" and I said "You know about 72 inches." Wow, could I be more American? First New Zealand (and most of the world) is on the metric system so referencing inches is completely useless. Second, a 6 ft (or 2 meter) couch is not standard in NZ (or in China or any of the other countries they get their furniture from). So again I had to back peddle and first think in mm (which is hopeless) and then re-ask my question.

(So far, no new couch in any size)

The examples are endless but here are some measurements that differ:

• 1.6liter bottle of milk, not 1 gallon
• 1 liter of petro, not 1 gallon of gas(which is 2.85 litres) (which makes a gallon about $6.22 here. I'll commentate on our attempts at energy saving vs. theirs)
• Weight is measured in kilos, not pounds
• Millimeters, not inches
• 100 kilometers per hour is about our 60 mph
• 15' Celsius is about 45 degrees

So although my geography has improved including the location of America in the solar system, I'm still miles away, I mean kilometers from remembering that my view of standard isn't really standard at all