Mrs Johnson Debeljak is an American, married to a Slovenian and mostly living in Slovenia. She is a great critics of our country and our habits. But hey, this is who we are! Nobody is perfect, I say, and this makes us so much more interesting.Many years ago she was writing about slippers. She couldn't (and she probably still can't) understand why in (almost) every Slovenian home we wear slippers. However, I think this is a nice habit. We manage to keep our homes clean and as we live in a climate with four seasons, slippers keep our feet warm. Besides, at least we have clean socks, if we don't vacuum our homes every day. :)
When I was staying in a British home for 14 days at the end of 1994, so, at the beginning of winter, I couldn't understand people walking around their homes in shoes and boots. First you walk around on the street, bringing all kinds of rubbish on your soles back home and then you spread all that around the house? Having smelly shoes having them on your feet whole day long? I was walking in my slippers also in that home.
I see no reason to make great fuss of such habits like Mrs Johnson Debeljak did so many years ago. We should better respect them and maybe, also learn from them. And you should not wonder too much when your host in a Slovenian home will offer you to wear slippers.
5 comments:
Yay for slippers! I'm Filipino and we wear slippers all the time. We have slippers for outside, slippers for inside, slippers for guests who come in to our homes. Love slippers! Keeps me from cleaning all the time.
Hard to understand why anyone would think it odd to avoid tracking dirt inside the home! Who knows what you could step in. My husband is Indian and I lived there before I met him, so it is a custom in our house to go shoeless. Most people who visit have no problem with it. I think it is very civilized!
I completely agree - slippers or barefoot is the way to go indoors. I noticed the same thing in Japan when I was there recently - even in our hotel there were slippers to put on as soon as you came into the room. Although here in Australia, we seem to emulate the British and wear our shoes indoors (except me in my beaded Japanese slippers!)
That is a great habit. Unfortunately, we have a dog who tracks in quite a bit of the outdoors on his paws.
is there any source wher one can order those slovenian style slippers? They are much more practical than German style ones..
Post a Comment