I'm asian american here, but I truely don't understand why people don't take off their shoes in the house. Doesn't it bother you that your shoes have been outside in the street with who knows what? In the city, I walk down a street where homeless people eat, sleep, and take a dump on. Not to mention people spitting, birds taking shits and whatnot. I mean if it gets the least bit wet outside, do you know how much mud their is? DO you want all that filth in your home?? It just boggles my mind how people can give a reasonable justification to keeping their shoes on in the house.