It is amazing to me how we never realize how good we have it sometimes and how lucky we are. We often get so used to our surroundings, laws and regulations that we come to expect certain things and even, gasp, forget the way things once were.
Well, I certainly forgot about smoking laws in Winnipeg. It was pretty well 9 years ago that the city implemented the no smoking in public places by-law. I remember it very well because at the time I had been working at a restaurant (as with much of my life over the past 9 years). The restaurant had a lounge that was "smoking" and a dining room that was "non-smoking". I always thought it was absurd because there was no clear division in the restaurant and it is not like the smoke knows where it can and cannot go. I always hated working in the lounge because the smoke was worse, but regardless of where I worked in the restaurant I came home smelling like french fries and cigarette smoke.
Now the city is talking about no smoking outside at sporting events. The government is certainly taking a stance on second hand smoke and having lived in Winnipeg for so long it seems absurd to think of someone smoking inside at all...
When we arrived at the airport in Frankfurt they had these ridiculous looking crates for people to smoke in. It looked like a glass enclosed bus shack. The smoking room was a cramped space with too many people filling their lungs with the much needed tobacco smoke. They looked kind of ridiculous all squished in there and the smoke popped out through the cracks in the glass and the door as it opened and closed, but at least that was an improvement from the last time I was in Frankfurt and the smoke wafted freely throughout the airport.
Now, we are in Egypt. I am growing more and more fond of this place everyday, but imagine my surprise when we walked into a restaurant the other day and were asked if wanted the smoking or non-smoking section. Suddenly I realized how fortunate we were in Winnipeg to not be asked that question anymore. I think that we are blessed to not be exposed the smoke if we do not want to be. So, here we are at the restaurant as I try not to look shocked and quietly requested the non-smoking section.
We are now venturing out of our home more frequently and as we explore the smoke is everywhere. At the playground, the restaurant, the halls of the mall, the stores, the shops, the taxis...everywhere and we cannot escape it. It is a part of life here and it seems like everyone smokes. For example, we were getting ice cream the other day and we sat at a table and there was a young couple smoking cigarette, after cigarette...over a span of about 15 minutes I think that they smoked 12 cigarettes between the two of them. It is something that will take getting used to for sure as I am not used to be around the smell of smoke when I do not want to be, but regardless of my opinion, it is a part of life here. One of the many cultural adjustments we face, not major just surprising.
So, it is with that realization that we remember things we took for granted back home, perhaps one day the laws will change here, but living in a country that is in the midst of a revolution, the laws are not the first thing on the minds of people. They are more concerned of what the government will look like in the near future as they should be.
Well, I certainly forgot about smoking laws in Winnipeg. It was pretty well 9 years ago that the city implemented the no smoking in public places by-law. I remember it very well because at the time I had been working at a restaurant (as with much of my life over the past 9 years). The restaurant had a lounge that was "smoking" and a dining room that was "non-smoking". I always thought it was absurd because there was no clear division in the restaurant and it is not like the smoke knows where it can and cannot go. I always hated working in the lounge because the smoke was worse, but regardless of where I worked in the restaurant I came home smelling like french fries and cigarette smoke.
Now the city is talking about no smoking outside at sporting events. The government is certainly taking a stance on second hand smoke and having lived in Winnipeg for so long it seems absurd to think of someone smoking inside at all...
When we arrived at the airport in Frankfurt they had these ridiculous looking crates for people to smoke in. It looked like a glass enclosed bus shack. The smoking room was a cramped space with too many people filling their lungs with the much needed tobacco smoke. They looked kind of ridiculous all squished in there and the smoke popped out through the cracks in the glass and the door as it opened and closed, but at least that was an improvement from the last time I was in Frankfurt and the smoke wafted freely throughout the airport.
Now, we are in Egypt. I am growing more and more fond of this place everyday, but imagine my surprise when we walked into a restaurant the other day and were asked if wanted the smoking or non-smoking section. Suddenly I realized how fortunate we were in Winnipeg to not be asked that question anymore. I think that we are blessed to not be exposed the smoke if we do not want to be. So, here we are at the restaurant as I try not to look shocked and quietly requested the non-smoking section.
We are now venturing out of our home more frequently and as we explore the smoke is everywhere. At the playground, the restaurant, the halls of the mall, the stores, the shops, the taxis...everywhere and we cannot escape it. It is a part of life here and it seems like everyone smokes. For example, we were getting ice cream the other day and we sat at a table and there was a young couple smoking cigarette, after cigarette...over a span of about 15 minutes I think that they smoked 12 cigarettes between the two of them. It is something that will take getting used to for sure as I am not used to be around the smell of smoke when I do not want to be, but regardless of my opinion, it is a part of life here. One of the many cultural adjustments we face, not major just surprising.
So, it is with that realization that we remember things we took for granted back home, perhaps one day the laws will change here, but living in a country that is in the midst of a revolution, the laws are not the first thing on the minds of people. They are more concerned of what the government will look like in the near future as they should be.
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