Another Asian virtue is being humble and non confrontational. I am an Asian living in Canada and I noticed how important it is in North American culture to “blow your own horn”, and how trash talking is a sign of competitiveness. Traditional Asian culture would balk at this kind of behavior.
I live in Australia, but started to adopt these philosophies after reading books! I now live with less, I have less stress. I update fixtures and paint my house, I garden a lot, my stress levels have gone down hugely! It saved my life. I go with the yin and yang theory kind of way x
All of the reasons I've chosen to retire early and move to Thailand from the toxic west. Thanks for the information and the inspiration to begin documenting my journey as well.
Good idea👍💯. All the best. I am Asian and currently live in Germany. The culture here is cold, very materialistic and quite toxic. I will leave next year and move back to Asia. I am very happy about it.
I had no idea that changing my clothes when I come home, drying my hair before sleep and my huggy pillow (what I call it too!) were Asian. I do all of these things naturally although have lived in Asia at times. What I don't practice and really need to is the last one- sabai sabai/ wabi sabi so must work on this. You are so calm and I need to get there.
hey hey! sorry for the late reply it's been busy on the family front! lol the videos are representative of what i'm doing at each particular moment - so lately it's been a lot of the travel stuff cos that's what we experienced in real time in our lives too. Appreciate that you enjoy the more thought based videos though - that'll always be the mainstay of what I do I believe, because that's reflective of the life I've chosen - non-busy, more contemplation-based. Thank you for your patience with the travel stuff though, and know that i appreciate you always tuning in 🤓
@@JeanVoronkova both of you are so thoughtful. I'm just glad that you're sharing your story online. I know V is always exploring and experimenting to make the production better. He's awesome.
@@dmang0 just know we always appreciate you always being there, even thru the videos in your non-preferred genres haha 🤭🙏🙏🙏 these days V is more focused on experimenting w his bbq - he’s actually gone to the metal smith n built his own offset smoker…. So far uhm “unique” things have been coming out of it 🤣🤣🤣
@@JeanVoronkova that sounds like an awesome video idea! I'm appreciate you both. I feel like I know you other for years. I'll come to say hello if I ever go to Bali.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful insights into Asian habits that can enhance our lives. It's truly inspiring to learn from diverse cultures and incorporate beneficial practices into our daily routines. The richness of Asian ethics and values offers valuable lessons for promoting health, happiness, and overall well-being. I appreciate your efforts in spreading positivity and cultural understanding through this video.
Spanish culture we have the same habits. NO outside clothing allowed inside the home. Shoes left by the door. Every time you leave the home, you must take quick shower when you come back home, then put on your pajamas. Inside you wear socks, or barefoot. Inspect grocery bags and containers that they're not leaking, if outside object smells you have two options: Put it back in the car and return it, or throw it away and cut your loses. No smelly objects allowed indoors. Wash your outside clothing everytime, unless its gym clothes where you will use daily then leave it in the "dirty basket" so you can resuse again, this dirty basket is actually super clean and designated only for that outside clothing [so i dont have to wash it daily]. But you'll have to shower every time you come back home. Now that I think about it, I'm just super strict. I'm so glad i'm not the only one who does this, my motto is "nothing from outisde is allowed to enter unless they are investigated for cleanliness and odourless, that includes humans, food, clothing, furniture, gadgets"
Your content is so satisfying. You remind me of two dear friends, a Malaysian guy and an Indonesian woman, both from Chinese descent. You have a beautiful mind and culture.
Watching from Australia. I live Asian culture and grew up with some of these things like meal times. Recently we have adopted a no shoe policy in our home.
I really appreciate you presenting your ideas and perspectives. It’s great to learn from others’ experiences. It’s important, however, not to generalize about what whole groups, regions or countries do or don’t do.
thank you, and i do agree - its just so hard to make any statements about anything that gets the message across simply within a span of a 8-10 minutes short video if one is to caveat about the details. Generalizations to an extent is a necessary formulation of practical application i think.
Love all of the Asian habits. Especially the smiling one. Most people in the US seem to walk around with a frown on their face. I also love the money habit one as well. Although a few wants is not a bad thing just not to the point of maxing out credit cards and being broke. Thanks for this video. I have practiced the shoe one as well. I dont like the chemicals from peoples lawns being tracked into my house.
Glad you like them! after a long while in Bali this year was full of travel surprises and it sure gave me a lot of food for thought as well! I hope you've been well Abbie!
Loved the VEN diagram of "ikigai". Wet hair......I have the bad habit of going to bed with wet hair and my Asian wife never does that..I never thought about it before this video.
I love learning Asian habits and culture! I’m from Hungary and we also always took our shoes off, had indoor and outdoor clothes. I’ve tried to incorporate that into my own home with my husband and children here in the U.S. It is harder when guests come over, not everyone is happy to take their shoes off. That’s made me not want to invite anyone over, but I try to compromise. You had a very interesting blow dryer. Is that a Dyson? Also where did you get your Huggie pillow?
O my. So well said. It's rare that we learn, hear the values from those in South East Asia. Love the last tip! I will look for that here in the Philippines 🇵🇭. Hope you visit or work or stay here to get to know us Filipinos. Smiles and humor are a big part of our survival!
hi there so happy to see you here from the Philippines! One of my close friends in Singapore is a filipino IT headhunter kicking ass in her job and life - and i hope to be able to visit Siargao one day for surf too! Your culture is indeed wonderful - so gentle and humorous and sweet!
We don’t need to find a purpose. Our purpose is to simply “be” and to love. Thinking you need to find a purpose will lead to depression. And i DO remove my shoes inside BUT we have learned in the last 30 years that the countries which have dirt floors & do many things living on the dirt have MUCH improved immune systems & rarely have childhood leukemia & cancers. Dirt keeps your immune system strong….What helped us gain wealth was the mindset of abundance. Therefore, we Give a lot of money AWAY….and it keeps money flowing towards us. What we give, like kindness, smiles, gratitude is what we get. We are ALL one, when you look into anothers eyes, you are looking at but a reflection of yourself. These are not habits but living in reciprocity
Number two is the same in Sweden. We don't wear out shoes indoors and we change clothes when we get home. We don't sit on our bed with outdoor clothes on unless there is a beadspread over the bed, but rarely then either. We don't out our grocery bags on the kitchen table but on the floor etc. To me it seems like walking in with your shoes on is a thing in the UK and the US.
We Norwegians also don't wear shoes inside. But I would love us to adopt the way to make the meals. When I shared a flat with others we would sometimes do it similar, and I miss those times.
I don’t wear shoes in the house but as I live in a western country, I’m forced to allow guests in wearing shoes and clean when they leave. It’s seen as rude where I am to even ask guests to take their shoes off, it's made me a bit of an introvert! It's easier not to have guests over than to ask
OMG get new friends, nobody should force you to do things you don’t want to do in your own home 😢 I’m curious as to how they force you? Do they threaten you with violence? I live in England where not everybody takes their shoes off when they enter a home but if people come to my house, they don’t get in if they don’t take their shoes off. I have a little sign on my door asking people to take their shoes off. Get rid of all these horrible people in your life, immediately, nobody should force you to do anything, and if you’re scared of them, can you phone the police or something? This is really shocking. Are they bullying you in other ways as well?😢
I really miss the smiles. I am now in the uk after living in Singapore. The English seem so grumpy. I make a point of smiling at everyone and spreading the happiness.
@@JeanVoronkova You know until this video, I thought the bolster was an eastern Indian thing. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn it's almost entire South East Asia 😂
This video is so fun and informative - and it's no surprise why I loved living in Asia so much. It's actually, quite similar to Scandinavia in some ways. 2. Shoes! We would never dream of wearing shoes indoors, and most people do actually change from outside to inside clothes as well. We would never be on or in our bed in our outside/work clothes, and there are some funny stories of people taking off their jeans to sit in the sofa haha! Underwear only lol. And unlike nurses in America and here in NZ, the nurses are not allowed to wear scrubs on their way to and from the hospitals! 4. I am from Sweden, but I often get almost "told off" for smiling so much. People find it uncomfortable at home haha, so I do much better abroad :) 5. This is not Swedish, but in Italy no one goes to sleep with wet hair because the kids are told this makes you sick. Although not scientifically through, the whole country pretty much abides by it :)
lol the taking off jeans to sit on the sofa!! I can relate!! sometimes i'm tired to head straight into the shower but i do take off my outside pants in an effort to keep the sofa more clean lol!!! And its super cool cos from what i observed you too have spent a lot of time living in many different countries. How interesting. And I didn't know the Swedes were serious people too, esp not from just knowing you!
Shoes are home dependent in the west. In my home, they are a no. I wonder if that's time dependent too. Growing up (in France), indoor slippers were a big thing. I still see them sold in grocery stores in France so I think in many home, people still change their footwear. But it's not as big of a no-no as in Asian homes. For instance, guests are not asked to take off their shoes. They are allowed in the "public" parts of the home, and the hostess plans a floor cleaning once they leave.
I love the thing with no outdoor clothes inside. Makes so much sense. Here in the UK where I currently live the nurses or people working in the hospital wear the nurses uniform outside, going home, going shopping etc, I think it is utterly disgusting. My former GP (family doctor which you get assigned to) not even wore a coat, but he wore a suit (and had dirty oily fingernails from working on his motorbike)
Thank you Gene this was very enlightening. I love your culture. I love the culture of everyone in that area because it’s different from the western culture. I grew up in but smiling people think there’s something wrong with the person that smiles all the time and that’s me. I’m happy even when I’m sad, so yes, I enjoyed it I subscribed and I hope to see you on your next one when you talk about moving away from the family which is something I’ve done thank you
It’s high time to learn or know every culture, languages, customs and values it and respect it is the best. Most of Asians missed to follow their traditions and missed to follow the clean habits this should change I think more RUclipsrs like you with proper understanding and knowledge bring it back in way if memory
I do many of the things on your list, and I have had relatives in the U.S. be upset about me "going Asian" and "hating the West".. I had to remind them that it's just a case of the baby not being thrown out with the bath water in Asia; I'm not going "Asian", I'm going "Old School". Good practices for a better life don't need to be exclusive to one culture only. (Case in point: you're identifying "Asian habits", where a generation ago, you probably would have said a specific country instead of Asian!) It's not Asian vs Western - it's having traditions you value and keep alive vs being "modern". My grandparents, born in the 1880s, cooked together and ate together, had 'outside' clothes and at-home clothes, had what we'd now call "Ikigai", were genuine with each other, etc. The problem is how much we rely on money, convenience, rationalization and "freedom"... all the "moderns". Any culture that tosses out anything and everything that is "old" for whatever is "new", and tries to eliminate all inefficiencies, will run into problems, just as any that insists no detail of the old ways be changed, will be in trouble.
oh its the quintessential asian thing! i hv no idea how all these caucasians just sleep with only a pillow under their heads i need somthing against my tummy! lol
Jean. RUclips algorithm has not pushed your contents to me. I was watching another RUclips just now and the content creator mentioned you (his name is Kelvin and he has interviewed you before). I hope you are doing well and I always enjoy your channel. Love from Singapore.
☺️my neighbors are not Asian, but practice the shoes outside and big gatherings around food, and with extreme vigilance how money is spent... I'm always invited,. but I am a bit overwhelmed . I envy them sometimes. but it's stressful, and like being at carnival too long... I feel put on the spot expressing my thoughts and feelings too often. I guess that's what close families do...
hi there! here in Asia we can get them anywhere from markets, supermarkets and online shopping, but in the west i think online shopping will be your best bet!
I love all the 8 simple ways you laid out. This is such a beautiful video. Also I'm enjoying the South Korea series Jean sweetheart. How have you been doing? It ia almost November and you have made great content this whole year Jean sweetheart.
Hi Dominic :) sorry for the much belated reply. Things have been great, but very much focused on family matters. My folks are at the stage where they require more assistance than before, hence my accompanying them on their europe travels, and being away from Pam Pam (the doggy) and V meant missing them both a lot but overall it was also a very nice mental break. I've also been contemplating the fact that the year end is creeping up on all of us. 2023 has just flown by for me, thankfully in a very happy manner. I hope the same is for you too Dominic - that 2023 was a very happy year so far.
What's wonderful things to share. Thank you 😊. Do you have a video on retiring early and how much you need to do this? And if moving to South East Asia (because of cheaper living aspects) makes this more achievable? 🙏
hi hi! actually I do as it happens - here are some videos you may find relevant - ruclips.net/video/8JLn2d43Wfw/видео.htmlsi=XXIm8iGLdzZMWz1Z, ruclips.net/video/bEPNCote43o/видео.htmlsi=04EN0BZ5CbGBe_nq, ruclips.net/video/VmWTHELjmtk/видео.htmlsi=yRJWznWVmy65TtHo .... there's a ton of relevant vids on my channel about retirement in Bali specifically maybe you cd take a swim through
As a Swede; - We eat together most nights. I prepare dinner for us. - In Sweden we take off our shoes. And take off our outside chlothes. - I dont go to bed with wet hair because it looks awful the day after - In Sweden it is not (or used not to be) ok to brag about money spent - So to me this is not typical asian stuff.
im learning about this from the comments! Interesting to know the Swedes practice similar habits as mentioned - i never knew. Is family a big thing for u guys as well? I always got the impression Scandinavians were very independent people.
I’m a westerner I follow many of the same rules no shoes indoors I change in to clean house clothes nothing dirty goes on my bed or furniture..I can’t go without smiling 🙂I smile all the time etc..
I agree with all these Asian habits instilled by my Chinese parents. I dry my wet hair by the sun and breeze outside my house.m, as I live in a warm climate.
Today, I think lounge wear has become a big thing in western countries as well. In the US, though, people soon discovered that it was comfortable and got lazy. They wear their lounge wear to the store and to school, kind of defeating the purpose of it. Growing up (in France, ages ago), we only had two sets of clothing: everyday wear and Sunday's best wear. Plus pyjamas. I have kept that. Most of the year where I live, I have to put on outerwear anyway. The bed and bedroom, however, are a different story. The only clothing that ever touches my bed are my nighties and the only thing my nighties ever touch are my bedsheets. When I get out of bed, on goes a bathrobe. And then I change into my day clothes. My husband grew up in South-Korea and changes as soon as he gets home. I think that's also a big city habit (he's from Seoul). If I lived in New-York, I would probably feel different about dragging my outdoor clothes indoors. Awefully dirty. He doesn't understand that I don't do the same. It seems uncomfortable to him. What I don't understand about him is that he will cook, getting all the odor on his clothing, walk around the house in his socks, and then bring the same into the bed. Neither of us would dream of laying on our bed with shoes on (or walk around the house with shoes).
so interesting to examine the different habits from different cultures! thanks for sharing! i haven't heard of loungewear to be honest gonna check that out online lol. i guess my indoor clothes are the equivalent of your loungewear + pyjamas! we do wear it to sleep as well and try to keep it clean indoors as much as possible, so i wouldn't wear what i wore to cook dinner into bed too tbh!
Indeed very good habits.❤ Very healthy ones and good for our mind and body and society! But I also think everybody thinks as western being similar to the usa.😂 I am from Portugal. We take care of our eldery, we Cook all meals, we eat with our family. We have a lot of fish, Olive oil, potatoes, vegetables still. We dont lunch sandwiches, or even lunch at out desk. Regarding ikigai I find it awesome (I am in Japan right now). But than again When ikigai is a job, I find most japanese not well balanced. A lot of overnight hours for apparently no reason than to be agreeable to a boss. Finally, regarding being Nice, its really important and I found vietnamese very humble and sweet. But being straightforward and learning to say no, as the Germany way, it changed my life ( I was a people pleasure) In the end, we can learn so much from each other.
I guess cooking, preparing and eating together is something people do all over the world. Living in europe, I don‘t know it any different. Also we don‘t wear shows indoors in a lot pf families. We are way too laty to clean that much😅 I lived in Seoul for a few years but never knew, that wet hair thing. Great to learn about that now! I allways hated to go to bed with wet hair. Now I have a good explanation!
I like No. 6 Asian habit on saving. There was also a joke if a Chinese is elected as US President, there will be no budget deficit. 😂 For some stressful people in high end society like Spore, sometime its so hard to smile nowadays.😢
oh no! we don't, but we also generally don't spread ourselves and our outside clothes over their beds and private areas. Mostly just stick to the dining chairs and sofa and stuff. The sofa is kinda an ambiguous place. But to be honest we are very selective about who gets to visit with us and don't receive guests often, so this issue is also minimised from that perspective
I’m a westerner and we always took our shoes off when we came in the house and I don’t know anyone who wears their shoes in the house among my relatives and friends.
Asian habit 1: My caucasian partner often says I got a problem with food (coz I love eating it, cooking it, sharing it, experimenting it). I told him I don't. I'm just Asian 🤣 Asian habit 2: He says I'm germaphobic when I frown upon not taking shoes off inside the house. I told him I'm not. I'm just Asian 🤣 Ikigai: Yep, good philosophy Smiling: I'm in two minds about this one. Sometimes I think many (or most) Asians use smiling to disguise their true feelings instead of expressing them honestly. Many Thais even smile when they're pissed off. I find that a little dishonest. I also think non-Asians could smile a bit more. Vitaly has mastered a nice smile 👌 Drying hair: Agree with this, but can't be bothered most of the time 😅 Saving money: Perhaps this is still true for older Asians. Many Asian youngsters now pretty much have the YOLO attitude when it comes to money. Bolsters: Yep, love them! I go to bed with 3 security pillows/bolster. Acceptance: It's good at an individual level, but not so much collectively, Asians accept and tolerate way too much and that's why Asian countries are prone to being governed by dictators. Thanks for a fun video! xoxo
lol you leave the best little notes! i'm so glad V is also food-obsessed haha in that u know, typically, we eat breakfast n discuss whats for lunch and dinner later that type! and he enjoys good food so much alongside my family. Its been an important bonding point! About habit #2, V has adjusted a lot to my Asian hygiene standards but he's much happier at home because of it n he told me so multiple times himself, like how the bed just gives better sleep cos it's never sandy anymore. Maybe your partner feels this too? On smiling, yea i know what u mean about the smiling and Thai people, but to be honest i only felt that in Thailand, and i think its a cultural thing there, and then again only limited to the tourist infested areas of Bangkok and other tourist centric areas. I remember meeting the nicest Thai people out in the rural countryside, and those smiles were certainly just filled with kindness and true feeling, so that was nice. but yeah, Caucasians in Indonesia giving everyone a sour face gets a frown from me - i just feel bad for the local people! they must be wondering why those foreigners are so mean lol. And wow 3 bolsters!!! SO COMFY!!!!! I steal V's when he's not looking sometimes, so i have one i cuddle (mine) and his i tuck behind me, until he realises and takes it back haha! And yes, good point about acceptance. Brings to mind the sad fate of Myanmar right now sigh.
Hi Jean, What are your thoughts regarding sleeping on one's side and getting wrinkles on the face from doing so? Especially for non-Asians (Asians seem to have different collagen levels, i.e. smooth skin)
into and out of the outside clothes for sure - but the inside clothes is prob the same set! we don't necessarily change the outfits themselves, just we don't wear the outside clothes on indoor surfaces
Another Asian virtue is being humble and non confrontational. I am an Asian living in Canada and I noticed how important it is in North American culture to “blow your own horn”, and how trash talking is a sign of competitiveness. Traditional Asian culture would balk at this kind of behavior.
eating meals together is so important!
You seem very happy in Bali -- enjoy your blessings. With respect, Jose
Thanks for sharing ❤❤❤
I live in Australia, but started to adopt these philosophies after reading books! I now live with less, I have less stress. I update fixtures and paint my house, I garden a lot, my stress levels have gone down hugely! It saved my life. I go with the yin and yang theory kind of way x
sweet by nature. That sounds so great
🌻😊
All of the reasons I've chosen to retire early and move to Thailand from the toxic west. Thanks for the information and the inspiration to begin documenting my journey as well.
nice! all the best with the big life change!
It's toxic because we allowed it. Don't go there taking that same stuff and mess it up.
Good idea👍💯. All the best. I am Asian and currently live in Germany. The culture here is cold, very materialistic and quite toxic. I will leave next year and move back to Asia. I am very happy about it.
I had no idea that changing my clothes when I come home, drying my hair before sleep and my huggy pillow (what I call it too!) were Asian. I do all of these things naturally although have lived in Asia at times. What I don't practice and really need to is the last one- sabai sabai/ wabi sabi so must work on this. You are so calm and I need to get there.
Excellent! Thanks for going back to your original style
hey hey! sorry for the late reply it's been busy on the family front! lol the videos are representative of what i'm doing at each particular moment - so lately it's been a lot of the travel stuff cos that's what we experienced in real time in our lives too. Appreciate that you enjoy the more thought based videos though - that'll always be the mainstay of what I do I believe, because that's reflective of the life I've chosen - non-busy, more contemplation-based. Thank you for your patience with the travel stuff though, and know that i appreciate you always tuning in 🤓
@@JeanVoronkova both of you are so thoughtful. I'm just glad that you're sharing your story online.
I know V is always exploring and experimenting to make the production better. He's awesome.
@@dmang0 just know we always appreciate you always being there, even thru the videos in your non-preferred genres haha 🤭🙏🙏🙏 these days V is more focused on experimenting w his bbq - he’s actually gone to the metal smith n built his own offset smoker…. So far uhm “unique” things have been coming out of it 🤣🤣🤣
@@JeanVoronkova that sounds like an awesome video idea!
I'm appreciate you both. I feel like I know you other for years. I'll come to say hello if I ever go to Bali.
You, yourself and your contents have such a relaxing power. Tnx for sharing YOU with the world!
Thank you for sharing these wonderful insights into Asian habits that can enhance our lives. It's truly inspiring to learn from diverse cultures and incorporate beneficial practices into our daily routines. The richness of Asian ethics and values offers valuable lessons for promoting health, happiness, and overall well-being. I appreciate your efforts in spreading positivity and cultural understanding through this video.
I am proud to be asian and proud to have out habits. Amazing post ❤
meeee toooooooo! i cherish our Asian values very much.
Same here ❤
Good message. Love Korean traditional dress.
thanks! yeah we had so much fun running around in the hanboks!
Spanish culture we have the same habits. NO outside clothing allowed inside the home. Shoes left by the door. Every time you leave the home, you must take quick shower when you come back home, then put on your pajamas. Inside you wear socks, or barefoot. Inspect grocery bags and containers that they're not leaking, if outside object smells you have two options: Put it back in the car and return it, or throw it away and cut your loses. No smelly objects allowed indoors. Wash your outside clothing everytime, unless its gym clothes where you will use daily then leave it in the "dirty basket" so you can resuse again, this dirty basket is actually super clean and designated only for that outside clothing [so i dont have to wash it daily]. But you'll have to shower every time you come back home. Now that I think about it, I'm just super strict. I'm so glad i'm not the only one who does this, my motto is "nothing from outisde is allowed to enter unless they are investigated for cleanliness and odourless, that includes humans, food, clothing, furniture, gadgets"
Your content is so satisfying. You remind me of two dear friends, a Malaysian guy and an Indonesian woman, both from Chinese descent. You have a beautiful mind and culture.
Thanks for your video
Watching from Australia. I live Asian culture and grew up with some of these things like meal times. Recently we have adopted a no shoe policy in our home.
that's nice! i imagine you shd be finding the home a much cleaner place to return to at end of each day!
I really appreciate you presenting your ideas and perspectives. It’s great to learn from others’ experiences. It’s important, however, not to generalize about what whole groups, regions or countries do or don’t do.
thank you, and i do agree - its just so hard to make any statements about anything that gets the message across simply within a span of a 8-10 minutes short video if one is to caveat about the details. Generalizations to an extent is a necessary formulation of practical application i think.
Very nice refreshing vlog!
this is a great idea... This concept of videos of you "😊"
Love all of the Asian habits. Especially the smiling one. Most people in the US seem to walk around with a frown on their face. I also love the money habit one as well. Although a few wants is not a bad thing just not to the point of maxing out credit cards and being broke. Thanks for this video. I have practiced the shoe one as well. I dont like the chemicals from peoples lawns being tracked into my house.
yeah, its about finding a balance between Yolo-ing your life away and having something tucked away for more meaningful future steps eh
I LOVE all of those eight habits!!!
so glad
You look enchanting here, my Dear and your Korean videos are awesome!
Glad you like them! after a long while in Bali this year was full of travel surprises and it sure gave me a lot of food for thought as well! I hope you've been well Abbie!
@@JeanVoronkova Thank you, m'Dear. I am hanging in there. 👍🏼 ☺️
Great to hear these styles and ways of eastern living
Hello Jean a beautifully presented vlog ❤.
Wonderful tips to incorporate in to your life ,thank you sharing this advice ❤❤❤❤
thank you for your time to watch, i'm glad you enjoyed the vid
Loved the VEN diagram of "ikigai". Wet hair......I have the bad habit of going to bed with wet hair and my Asian wife never does that..I never thought about it before this video.
This was a great, informative compilation,
Thank you. ✌🏻
🌻🤓 cheers!
I love learning Asian habits and culture! I’m from Hungary and we also always took our shoes off, had indoor and outdoor clothes. I’ve tried to incorporate that into my own home with my husband and children here in the U.S. It is harder when guests come over, not everyone is happy to take their shoes off. That’s made me not want to invite anyone over, but I try to compromise.
You had a very interesting blow dryer. Is that a Dyson? Also where did you get your Huggie pillow?
O my. So well said. It's rare that we learn, hear the values from those in South East Asia.
Love the last tip! I will look for that here in the Philippines 🇵🇭. Hope you visit or work or stay here to get to know us Filipinos.
Smiles and humor are a big part of our survival!
hi there so happy to see you here from the Philippines! One of my close friends in Singapore is a filipino IT headhunter kicking ass in her job and life - and i hope to be able to visit Siargao one day for surf too! Your culture is indeed wonderful - so gentle and humorous and sweet!
What a beautiful video! I especially loved learning about ikigai. Thank you for sharing!
We don’t need to find a purpose. Our purpose is to simply “be” and to love. Thinking you need to find a purpose will lead to depression.
And i DO remove my shoes inside BUT we have learned in the last 30 years that the countries which have dirt floors & do many things living on the dirt have MUCH improved immune systems & rarely have childhood leukemia & cancers. Dirt keeps your immune system strong….What helped us gain wealth was the mindset of abundance. Therefore, we Give a lot of money AWAY….and it keeps money flowing towards us. What we give, like kindness, smiles, gratitude is what we get. We are ALL one, when you look into anothers eyes, you are looking at but a reflection of yourself. These are not habits but living in reciprocity
Love the Asian habits!
thanks Babe good to see you & hope all's been well!
Number two is the same in Sweden. We don't wear out shoes indoors and we change clothes when we get home. We don't sit on our bed with outdoor clothes on unless there is a beadspread over the bed, but rarely then either.
We don't out our grocery bags on the kitchen table but on the floor etc.
To me it seems like walking in with your shoes on is a thing in the UK and the US.
u may be right! didn't realise the Swedes shared so many similar habits as in Asia!
Lovely video, Jean! Can you tell us where to purchase that comfy bolster?
We Norwegians also don't wear shoes inside. But I would love us to adopt the way to make the meals. When I shared a flat with others we would sometimes do it similar, and I miss those times.
communal cooking is a great way to bond isn't it - just time together with your loved ones with food and cooking - so nourishing for the soul :)
I don’t wear shoes in the house but as I live in a western country, I’m forced to allow guests in wearing shoes and clean when they leave. It’s seen as rude where I am to even ask guests to take their shoes off, it's made me a bit of an introvert! It's easier not to have guests over than to ask
Same here
wow that's real cultural respect! I salute you. I can't imagine letting other people's shoes into my home and carpets!
I have live in New York, Liverpool London, Milan Italy and now Melbourne Australia, all my guest have respected my house rule (no shoes).
I live in Sweden and here we take the shoes of then walking into a home.
OMG get new friends, nobody should force you to do things you don’t want to do in your own home 😢 I’m curious as to how they force you? Do they threaten you with violence? I live in England where not everybody takes their shoes off when they enter a home but if people come to my house, they don’t get in if they don’t take their shoes off. I have a little sign on my door asking people to take their shoes off. Get rid of all these horrible people in your life, immediately, nobody should force you to do anything, and if you’re scared of them, can you phone the police or something? This is really shocking. Are they bullying you in other ways as well?😢
Love these tips! ✨Some of them, I already implement! Thank you 🙏✨
thanks Lizzie i'm so glad the tips resonated :)
@@JeanVoronkova☺️☺️
Thankyou, what a beautiful video.
I once read, leave no trace behind you. A great habit that improves family life.
Thanks Jean..Awesome Video as Always...
thank you Darryl I'm glad it resonated :)
Every one of those is so true and valuable. Love your content and it’s a constant source of positivity. Thank-you Jean ❤
Thank you so much djmumma 🌻😊
I really miss the smiles. I am now in the uk after living in Singapore. The English seem so grumpy. I make a point of smiling at everyone and spreading the happiness.
This is one of THE best videos; I am a huge fan and follower. Thank you
thank you Vilma :) glad the vid resonated :)
Hi jean thank you for a lovely video with great values I’m always learning from you love your channel
thank you for always tuning in Margaret, i hope you've been well this fortnight past!
Jean, youre awesome
🙏😊
Love this video!!
The bolster, spot on 😀. Can't sleep without it.
meeee toooooo. I've figured its basically needing to have a feeling of support and comfort against my tummy!
@@JeanVoronkova You know until this video, I thought the bolster was an eastern Indian thing. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn it's almost entire South East Asia 😂
I love your videos Jean it was a pleasure also to have met you in Bali you walk your talk very honest real thank you 🙏🏿
thank you Greg, that's very kind
This video is so fun and informative - and it's no surprise why I loved living in Asia so much. It's actually, quite similar to Scandinavia in some ways.
2. Shoes! We would never dream of wearing shoes indoors, and most people do actually change from outside to inside clothes as well. We would never be on or in our bed in our outside/work clothes, and there are some funny stories of people taking off their jeans to sit in the sofa haha! Underwear only lol. And unlike nurses in America and here in NZ, the nurses are not allowed to wear scrubs on their way to and from the hospitals!
4. I am from Sweden, but I often get almost "told off" for smiling so much. People find it uncomfortable at home haha, so I do much better abroad :)
5. This is not Swedish, but in Italy no one goes to sleep with wet hair because the kids are told this makes you sick. Although not scientifically through, the whole country pretty much abides by it :)
lol the taking off jeans to sit on the sofa!! I can relate!! sometimes i'm tired to head straight into the shower but i do take off my outside pants in an effort to keep the sofa more clean lol!!! And its super cool cos from what i observed you too have spent a lot of time living in many different countries. How interesting. And I didn't know the Swedes were serious people too, esp not from just knowing you!
Thanks Jean❤
thank you for your time to watch :)
Absolutely agree!!😌👌 living in Asia and following asian philosophy makes my life better every day ❤
ahaaa you're the quintessential convert! so happy in Vietnam huh
Shoes are home dependent in the west. In my home, they are a no. I wonder if that's time dependent too. Growing up (in France), indoor slippers were a big thing. I still see them sold in grocery stores in France so I think in many home, people still change their footwear. But it's not as big of a no-no as in Asian homes. For instance, guests are not asked to take off their shoes. They are allowed in the "public" parts of the home, and the hostess plans a floor cleaning once they leave.
Such a simple yet enjoyable and flowing vlog. 🙏
thank you :)
This was great! Acheivment is in the savings! This is my jam
yes, starting off with good savings is a major stepping stone in life!
I love the thing with no outdoor clothes inside. Makes so much sense. Here in the UK where I currently live the nurses or people working in the hospital wear the nurses uniform outside, going home, going shopping etc, I think it is utterly disgusting. My former GP (family doctor which you get assigned to) not even wore a coat, but he wore a suit (and had dirty oily fingernails from working on his motorbike)
Thai mai pen rai. Saving face and using that smile. So simple yet so effective.
yes... it does make Thailand such a very pleasant and easy place to be in
No. 1 & 2 is mandatory in my household.
As for no.7, everyone has a bolster too.❤
i'm so addicted to mine that i bought a baby one to travel with at one point lol
Thanks for sharing🌸👍🌸👍🌸👍
thank you for your time to watch :)
Thank you Gene this was very enlightening. I love your culture. I love the culture of everyone in that area because it’s different from the western culture. I grew up in but smiling people think there’s something wrong with the person that smiles all the time and that’s me. I’m happy even when I’m sad, so yes, I enjoyed it I subscribed and I hope to see you on your next one when you talk about moving away from the family which is something I’ve done thank you
thank you, i'm glad the 2 videos resonated with you :)
Hahaha the part on showing off how much we save is so relatable 😂
ultimate Asian culture ya haha Jimmy O Yang is the best
Hi Jean, Thank you for the info. Can you tell me what brand/kind of bolster you use for sleeping? Thanks!
As a Canadian with English heritage I never wear my shoes inside my home. The same for wherever I visit unless the host prefers I do.
That makes so much more sense than the shoes indoor policy! Is this typical of Canadians?
In Canada we always remove shoes when entering the house .
You are awesome🙏 , i like that outside outfit. Taddeo from Durham, NC
New here 👋 this is sweet, informative n hilarious. 😅😅 enjoyed n ty ❤❤
It’s high time to learn or know every culture, languages, customs and values it and respect it is the best.
Most of Asians missed to follow their traditions and missed to follow the clean habits this should change I think more RUclipsrs like you with proper understanding and knowledge bring it back in way if memory
😍🌻
I do many of the things on your list, and I have had relatives in the U.S. be upset about me "going Asian" and "hating the West".. I had to remind them that it's just a case of the baby not being thrown out with the bath water in Asia; I'm not going "Asian", I'm going "Old School". Good practices for a better life don't need to be exclusive to one culture only. (Case in point: you're identifying "Asian habits", where a generation ago, you probably would have said a specific country instead of Asian!)
It's not Asian vs Western - it's having traditions you value and keep alive vs being "modern". My grandparents, born in the 1880s, cooked together and ate together, had 'outside' clothes and at-home clothes, had what we'd now call "Ikigai", were genuine with each other, etc.
The problem is how much we rely on money, convenience, rationalization and "freedom"... all the "moderns". Any culture that tosses out anything and everything that is "old" for whatever is "new", and tries to eliminate all inefficiencies, will run into problems, just as any that insists no detail of the old ways be changed, will be in trouble.
I sleep with a bolster but I didn’t know it was an Asian thing! Lol even as an Asian person living in Asia, this list was a great reminder
oh its the quintessential asian thing! i hv no idea how all these caucasians just sleep with only a pillow under their heads i need somthing against my tummy! lol
I would love to know where you got your bolster. Most of the ones that I see that are for sale are very hard. Did you make yours yourself?
Excellent video 👌🏻👌🏻
thanks!
Jean. RUclips algorithm has not pushed your contents to me. I was watching another RUclips just now and the content creator mentioned you (his name is Kelvin and he has interviewed you before). I hope you are doing well and I always enjoy your channel. Love from Singapore.
☺️my neighbors are not Asian, but practice the shoes outside and big gatherings around food, and with extreme vigilance how money is spent... I'm always invited,. but I am a bit overwhelmed . I envy them sometimes. but it's stressful, and like being at carnival too long... I feel put on the spot expressing my thoughts and feelings too often. I guess that's what close families do...
This is a damn good woman.
Love this😊
thank you :)
Bolsters are called Maternity pillows in the West! Let's all get one for a better night's sleep.
😂😂😂 no kidding! seriously? haha i can see why a lot of guys may be put off by that!
Great video!! Can you tell me where you got your huggie pillow?
hi there! here in Asia we can get them anywhere from markets, supermarkets and online shopping, but in the west i think online shopping will be your best bet!
I love all the 8 simple ways you laid out. This is such a beautiful video. Also I'm enjoying the South Korea series Jean sweetheart. How have you been doing?
It ia almost November and you have made great content this whole year Jean sweetheart.
Hi Dominic :) sorry for the much belated reply. Things have been great, but very much focused on family matters. My folks are at the stage where they require more assistance than before, hence my accompanying them on their europe travels, and being away from Pam Pam (the doggy) and V meant missing them both a lot but overall it was also a very nice mental break. I've also been contemplating the fact that the year end is creeping up on all of us. 2023 has just flown by for me, thankfully in a very happy manner. I hope the same is for you too Dominic - that 2023 was a very happy year so far.
Russia is pretty similar in no shoes inside, sharing meals together at parties and what not, home clothes vs work clothes.
What's wonderful things to share. Thank you 😊. Do you have a video on retiring early and how much you need to do this? And if moving to South East Asia (because of cheaper living aspects) makes this more achievable? 🙏
hi hi! actually I do as it happens - here are some videos you may find relevant - ruclips.net/video/8JLn2d43Wfw/видео.htmlsi=XXIm8iGLdzZMWz1Z, ruclips.net/video/bEPNCote43o/видео.htmlsi=04EN0BZ5CbGBe_nq, ruclips.net/video/VmWTHELjmtk/видео.htmlsi=yRJWznWVmy65TtHo .... there's a ton of relevant vids on my channel about retirement in Bali specifically maybe you cd take a swim through
You are looking so good. 😊
Thank you 😊
Mari Kondo taught me kaizen and how to fold socks. I’m in.
nice! haha i must check out the sock folding that
Very beautiful
thank you Josep for always tuning in :) i really appreciate it
As a Swede; - We eat together most nights. I prepare dinner for us. - In Sweden we take off our shoes. And take off our outside chlothes. - I dont go to bed with wet hair because it looks awful the day after - In Sweden it is not (or used not to be) ok to brag about money spent - So to me this is not typical asian stuff.
im learning about this from the comments! Interesting to know the Swedes practice similar habits as mentioned - i never knew. Is family a big thing for u guys as well? I always got the impression Scandinavians were very independent people.
I’m a westerner I follow many of the same rules no shoes indoors I change in to clean house clothes nothing dirty goes on my bed or furniture..I can’t go without smiling 🙂I smile all the time etc..
thats wonderful Colleen!
I agree with all these Asian habits instilled by my Chinese parents.
I dry my wet hair by the sun and breeze outside my house.m, as I live in a warm climate.
lol yeah same - the TCM stuff drilled in by our moms just keep resonating as im getting older lol
한국이군요 반가워요 ^^
Today, I think lounge wear has become a big thing in western countries as well. In the US, though, people soon discovered that it was comfortable and got lazy. They wear their lounge wear to the store and to school, kind of defeating the purpose of it. Growing up (in France, ages ago), we only had two sets of clothing: everyday wear and Sunday's best wear. Plus pyjamas. I have kept that. Most of the year where I live, I have to put on outerwear anyway. The bed and bedroom, however, are a different story. The only clothing that ever touches my bed are my nighties and the only thing my nighties ever touch are my bedsheets. When I get out of bed, on goes a bathrobe. And then I change into my day clothes. My husband grew up in South-Korea and changes as soon as he gets home. I think that's also a big city habit (he's from Seoul). If I lived in New-York, I would probably feel different about dragging my outdoor clothes indoors. Awefully dirty. He doesn't understand that I don't do the same. It seems uncomfortable to him. What I don't understand about him is that he will cook, getting all the odor on his clothing, walk around the house in his socks, and then bring the same into the bed. Neither of us would dream of laying on our bed with shoes on (or walk around the house with shoes).
so interesting to examine the different habits from different cultures! thanks for sharing! i haven't heard of loungewear to be honest gonna check that out online lol. i guess my indoor clothes are the equivalent of your loungewear + pyjamas! we do wear it to sleep as well and try to keep it clean indoors as much as possible, so i wouldn't wear what i wore to cook dinner into bed too tbh!
Looking amazing in that hanboc
thank you! my one spin at traditional fashion was super fun!
Indeed very good habits.❤ Very healthy ones and good for our mind and body and society! But I also think everybody thinks as western being similar to the usa.😂 I am from Portugal. We take care of our eldery, we Cook all meals, we eat with our family. We have a lot of fish, Olive oil, potatoes, vegetables still. We dont lunch sandwiches, or even lunch at out desk. Regarding ikigai I find it awesome (I am in Japan right now). But than again When ikigai is a job, I find most japanese not well balanced. A lot of overnight hours for apparently no reason than to be agreeable to a boss. Finally, regarding being Nice, its really important and I found vietnamese very humble and sweet. But being straightforward and learning to say no, as the Germany way, it changed my life ( I was a people pleasure) In the end, we can learn so much from each other.
Oh and by the way. I need this channel in my life!!! I am subscribing!
I guess cooking, preparing and eating together is something people do all over the world. Living in europe, I don‘t know it any different.
Also we don‘t wear shows indoors in a lot pf families. We are way too laty to clean that much😅
I lived in Seoul for a few years but never knew, that wet hair thing. Great to learn about that now! I allways hated to go to bed with wet hair. Now I have a good explanation!
🌻😊 i need someone to invent a 1 min hair drying magic device - cos of our surfing i hv wet hair almost every day! so tiring to blowdry lol
I like No. 6 Asian habit on saving. There was also a joke if a Chinese is elected as US President, there will be no budget deficit. 😂 For some stressful people in high end society like Spore, sometime its so hard to smile nowadays.😢
How do you spell properly "boster" pillow, would like to buy one right away, but I need the proper english name plz. ♥
Bolster 👍
yep bolster! i hope you got one and are enjoying it at the mo!
❤😊
😍🤓🙏
Buenísimo :)
So if you visit someone do you have to take a change of clothes to wear in their home?
oh no! we don't, but we also generally don't spread ourselves and our outside clothes over their beds and private areas. Mostly just stick to the dining chairs and sofa and stuff. The sofa is kinda an ambiguous place. But to be honest we are very selective about who gets to visit with us and don't receive guests often, so this issue is also minimised from that perspective
I have washable shoe covers and wrap them on my visitors when they come.
that is SO clever! i've seen hospitals do this but didn't think households did too!
@@JeanVoronkova
With a nice fabric they look great!
I’m a westerner and we always took our shoes off when we came in the house and I don’t know anyone who wears their shoes in the house among my relatives and friends.
I have thick hair and it will not dry overnight if it is damp. I just can't sleep with damp hair.
Asian habit 1: My caucasian partner often says I got a problem with food (coz I love eating it, cooking it, sharing it, experimenting it). I told him I don't. I'm just Asian 🤣
Asian habit 2: He says I'm germaphobic when I frown upon not taking shoes off inside the house. I told him I'm not. I'm just Asian 🤣
Ikigai: Yep, good philosophy
Smiling: I'm in two minds about this one. Sometimes I think many (or most) Asians use smiling to disguise their true feelings instead of expressing them honestly. Many Thais even smile when they're pissed off. I find that a little dishonest. I also think non-Asians could smile a bit more. Vitaly has mastered a nice smile 👌
Drying hair: Agree with this, but can't be bothered most of the time 😅
Saving money: Perhaps this is still true for older Asians. Many Asian youngsters now pretty much have the YOLO attitude when it comes to money.
Bolsters: Yep, love them! I go to bed with 3 security pillows/bolster.
Acceptance: It's good at an individual level, but not so much collectively, Asians accept and tolerate way too much and that's why Asian countries are prone to being governed by dictators.
Thanks for a fun video! xoxo
lol you leave the best little notes! i'm so glad V is also food-obsessed haha in that u know, typically, we eat breakfast n discuss whats for lunch and dinner later that type! and he enjoys good food so much alongside my family. Its been an important bonding point! About habit #2, V has adjusted a lot to my Asian hygiene standards but he's much happier at home because of it n he told me so multiple times himself, like how the bed just gives better sleep cos it's never sandy anymore. Maybe your partner feels this too? On smiling, yea i know what u mean about the smiling and Thai people, but to be honest i only felt that in Thailand, and i think its a cultural thing there, and then again only limited to the tourist infested areas of Bangkok and other tourist centric areas. I remember meeting the nicest Thai people out in the rural countryside, and those smiles were certainly just filled with kindness and true feeling, so that was nice. but yeah, Caucasians in Indonesia giving everyone a sour face gets a frown from me - i just feel bad for the local people! they must be wondering why those foreigners are so mean lol. And wow 3 bolsters!!! SO COMFY!!!!! I steal V's when he's not looking sometimes, so i have one i cuddle (mine) and his i tuck behind me, until he realises and takes it back haha! And yes, good point about acceptance. Brings to mind the sad fate of Myanmar right now sigh.
Hi Jean, What are your thoughts regarding sleeping on one's side and getting wrinkles on the face from doing so? Especially for non-Asians (Asians seem to have different collagen levels, i.e. smooth skin)
Try sleeping with a silk pillowcase. It's better for your skin and hair than cotton.
So if you have to go out,a few times of day,do you change your clothes,each time.
into and out of the outside clothes for sure - but the inside clothes is prob the same set! we don't necessarily change the outfits themselves, just we don't wear the outside clothes on indoor surfaces