1. Heated Toilet (Japan)
You don't know what you're missing in life, until you wake up on a freezing morning (in Japan) and sit on a toilet that is as well heated as the room you just stepped out of. Seriously! When your ass is warm, everything else truly just falls by the waistside. Best invention ever. If you're daring, like me, you'll learn to love the bidet as well.
2. Siesta (Spain)
Do I need to say more? Nap time, as an adult. In conjunction with this, the 35/hour work week would be a great addition as well.
3. Fish Spa (Cambodia. Thailand)
Craziest, weirdest shit ever, but so practical. Have hungry fish eat the dead skin off the bottom of your feet, in a big tank. If you're brave, just jump in. Give it a half hour and your entire body will feel like a baby's bottom....although you may be plauged with nightmares for life.
Remember my go at it?
4. Red Light districts (The Netherlands, Thailand, others I haven't yet visited)
Sex is sex. The more we look to hide it, the more dangerous (and alluring) it becomes. Red Light districts allow sex to live in a raunchy way, in it's own contained area. It's bought and sold with a person's own free will. In many countries it fuels the economy.
I would like to say that we could learn something from countries that I feel execute it well...like the city of Amsterdam. They are the blueprint of doing it, and doing it well. It's government run, the women are tested regulary and given health insurance. They are given safe places in which to do their business. The whole operation is regulated, and perfected as time goes on, in search of better safety and efficiency practices.
5. Healthy Eating/Portion Control (umm...everywhere outside America)
From personal experience, I lost fifteen pounds in five weeks while living in Paris. It is what jump started what is now a fifty pound weightloss that has been kept off for two years. Still eating baguettes, and pasta for dinner, the pounds fell off, much to the work of portion control and food that was free of preservative and full of nutrients. I can't talk enough about foreign menus. They put our American foods to shame. The compare and contrast of health value would shock and awe.
Even their junk foods are made of fresh rice, vegetables and fruits. Their sweets tend to hold less sugar than ours, and from the outside looking in "Yes, America you're fat." More importantly, we're unhealthy. I remember being surprised that vending machine candy packets in France were half the size of ours. I had the nerve to feel like I wasn't getting enough product for my money.
More what, Evita? Fat. Sugar. Calories. Cellulite. What?
Or how I was pissed walking into a Japanese Mos Burger for the first time and watching them weigh my fries to make sure everyone had the exact same amount, and a healthy portion? I'd kill for some Mos Burger right now. You have no idea!
America, we eat too much crap! In terms of priority, this is definitely number one.
