McDonald’s: A Cross-Cultural Exchange (January)

I admit - it is a little bit disheartening to see the tattle-tale Golden Arches superimposed onto a Venetian piazza, in the Hong Kong harbour or on the beaches of a South Pacific island.

But it also comforting to know that wherever you are in the big cities of the world (or the distant outposts) there will most likely be coffee that tastes like it does at home and hot french fries near-by.

To my knowledge there are two McDonald’s in Baku. (It might be three.)
The following story from my Khirdalan host sister demonstrates what completes the trifecta of the familiar that makes McDonald’s in foreign countries so appealing.

J: My son and I were in the McDonald’s last weekend. And he needed to go to the bathroom. So we went to the bathroom. But there was only one stall and it was occupied….Finally the person came out. And if you can believe it - It was PCV K*

So we laughed about meeting in the bathroom, then we had the following conversation:

J: You are welcome to come eat with us, if you want.
PCV K: No. I just came into use the bathroom.
J: Really? You can do that?
K: Probably not. But everyone does. They are always clean.
J: Wow. Good to know. I’ll do that next time.

(It is a truth universally acknowledged!)

In light of this revelation my host sister admitted to me that now whenever she is shopping downtown and needs the bathroom, she heads for McDonald’s. ☺

*PCV K is an AZ8 that stayed next door to Ata this year for PST.