To like or not to like?
Current mood: amused
Suffering with the confusion combination of home-sickness and loving being here, I am in the throes of debating the following:
America - To like or not?
You see I am really so thrilled and privildged to be here and to be meeting wonderful people, attending an awesome school and church and fulfilling a dream I have had for 5 years. But I also terribly miss home and my family and fiancee. I must stress that this is a merry dilema for me; I am so blessed to be torn between to places, to have so many people that love me and 2 places I think of as 'home'. However, it is a debate which needs to be settled none the less and I fear that my British patriotism may make it a some what unfair and one sided argument. I shall try though, to be impartial.
Let the battle commence: England v America
America is annoying because people do not wear dressing gowns. No. the idea of wearing a gown over your pyjamas for the sake of warmth and decency is alien. Indeed, when I wore mine over my night clothes at HIM the other night people thought I was being INDECENT! Americans wear bath robes, so wearing my robe looked 'rude'. But my culture says a robe makes you decent to take out the rubbish, answer the door etc. And they have not even heard of them here. Ugh.
American food is so flipping salty that my mouth is still sore after 2 months. Or so sweet that it enduces a coronary. I miss English food.
However, I am typing this blog in a car park in a car, such is the extent and availablilty of free wireless here, and that HAS to count for something. I am watching the traffic go sailing past (on the wrong side of the road) on the 51 and the sun is setting and I can email. That is cool.
Speaking of traffic, that brings me to another important issue. (Im not even going to bother with the fact that Americans drive badly and have dumb cars that dont drive as well as European cars because I said I would try and make this a fair argument) Why is that here in Charlotte, roads just change name for no reason and deliver all road users into confusion and panic? Why is an exit signposted as a road name right up until the exit when it is suddenly refferred to as a number instead?
But, a list of things that are great about this nation;
Pancakes; Good coffee; MorningStar; Napolean Dynamite; Jessi Donner; Chris and Charlotte Hultquist; Jimmy and Nathan; Rhett and Joel; Dannelle; A-Lan; Flat bed trucks.
Ok, somehting else, everyone here decorates thier homes ALL YEAR ROUND! With banners and flags and all sorts of mess. Its crazy. And you dont pay the price on the tag, you have to add tax at the till and that is confusing.
BUT, Its november in 1 day and I am still wearing flip-flops and that really does rock. And Americans have this wonderful pioneering spirit and warmth. Although, they do have shopping trolleys in charity shops and that is just wierd. And you have to pay for cheque books here. And they spell it check. They spell loads of stuff crazy and use odd phrases. They call trousers pants and that is messed up. And chocolate here is rough as a badger. But delivery pizza is quick and hot and flipping sweet. And come on, they have Target here!
England is cold and grey and damp and we are quite a moany and pasty people, but we have a great public transport service, free health care and Ricky Gervais. No matter how much fun I have here, no matter how I love my firends here and no matter how much I adore the novelty of all this American madness, my heart will always belong to the land where 4 tv chanels are enough for us, where meals last for a few hours and where we eat with both a knife and a fork.
Im sorry America, I love you dearly, but the small Isle of England must win. I wish you all the best for the future and am delighted to be welcomed as a visitor, but I know where I came from...
Feel free to comment..
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