Perpetual Change

Fresh off the Boat

This should have been dated around July 4th or December 4th. Most sentiments were very pertinent at that time, but I have only managed to get them all in print now. I actually had a much more timely blog written, but I left it on the computer at the orphanage, so until next week.

So I promised an email about culture shock, well I was ripe with it. Minor things continued to amaze me both during my month at home in the summer and winter and, to a lesser degree, for the 6 months in Italy.

I couldn’t get over the amazing efficiency of the rental car system at Reagan National Airport. I was off the plane and driving away in a car in about 20 minutes. (The DC traffic didn’t impress me quite so much, though it did leave quite an impression.) I just saw an ad for the first rental car company to open up operations in my county here in Ukraine. You either need to be a foreigner or be bonded to rent a car, and it costs more per day than to rent in DC.

I filled my water bottle at a MacDonald’s sink. I have actually always done this, but appreciated it a lot more, because the water from the sinks in the USA is potable.

I felt violated when I was ‘shot’ for speed by a hidden state trooper.

I was flabbergasted by what young professionals will pay good money for and then put in their yards. This is in reference to the newly popular (or at least they were new to me) inflatable parachute Christmas lawn decorations – I mean, really, what has more class than a giant Santa Claus on a motorcycle?

I stopped myself from peeing on the side of the highway on my road trip to see my sister.

I was also flabbergasted of how litigious we are in the USA. While at a creative winery’s tasting, the woman told us to be careful after trying the spicy pepper wine. She was also careful how she said it, because they had gotten a notice of sexual harassment for saying ‘be careful where you put your hands after trying the wine’ referring to your eyes and lips.

I was awed by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, even on overcast days. I also realized that in one morning, after seeing a bear and two cubs, a huge hawk, and many deer, that I had seen more wildlife there, than in 5 years in the European countryside and woods.

I was struck, and a bit bewildered by the Star over Roanoke.

I could NOT get over how ENORMOUS each parking spot is. I don’t think I had to back up or straighten out once while in the States, and I certainly never had to squeeze in or out of a partially opened door (this is more a reaction from Italy to America, than Ukraine where there are still so few cars that parking is rarely a concern; not that there are so many spaces, though.) For emphasis, I should note that this comment was in my notes after both my summer and winter trips home.

I was continually taken off guard by how casual but very friendly and helpful service is in America. For any of you that have been the victims of bad service, and I used to think I was one of them, you haven’t seen anything! I had a couple of ‘bad service’ situations and even these surprised me at how good they were on a scale of what I have seen.

I was disappointed with how little taste food had; and therefore how difficult it was to prepare well.

I hated having to drive to get ANYWHERE and having to buy economy size to get ANYTHING. I was amazed how BIG stores are – all of them; and also therefore, the big amount of employees in each.

I was blown away by the constant buzz of everything – even while swimming in a pool, and surprised by how many airplanes pass overhead, and the EVER present hum of a/c units.

It was very interesting to read the great variety of ethnic surnames all side by side at the cemetery.

I agreed with my Ukrainian friends that it isn’t so much fun to have to call, to visit someone, as opposed to just dropping by.

I was surprised by the following realizations after my trip home in summer:

Many of my friends, that I thought were spread to the 4 winds, are still in the South east.

I love Ukraine as I love Italy. In the beginning in Ukraine, I thought that this statement would never be true; both are different but not inferior (and definitely not superior) to how I feel towards my native land, the USA.

I don't really want to live in Tampa or Jacksonville.

In 10 days, I slept in 9 different beds. I don’t even know where mine is anymore (I have found one since writing this. I feel very much at home in my bed at the orphanage).

Please understand that the following statement was made by a very special friend while she was talking of the pregnancy of her and her husbands first boy child. Please excuse the sensationalism of the statement: "I grew a penis inside me."

While home, the ever present change of our American lives seemed very apparent to me; as did the subjects of the housing market in summer; and Facebook and Craig’s list in winter.

I was impressed with how many young people were at church - families, singles and teenagers. I can’t say that is a common site in the parts of Europe that I have been. It seems that the USA really is an anomaly when it comes to religion in the modern world. I was also impressed with our real variety, not just in movies or music, but in restaurants, amongst friends and family and every other aspect of life. It was refreshing. I think we are actually much better integrated than we give ourselves credit for. Now if everyone could just forget their bigotry.

I was not so impressed with our fear culture; it seemed to me that most news and programs compete for the greatest impact often using fear as a catch point. I am not sure you can appreciate the deep pervasiveness of this tactic, but it would make me physically uncomfortable to watch the news, and I was often flabbergasted at the topic of a show. Foreigners see all this programming and think that it is the normal life of every American. I know I have commented on this before, but I can’t get over the great dis-service that we do ourselves at home and abroad in this respect. I know it isn’t anything that is likely to change, because it is attention-catching and the business of our lives often require such a feature to get our awareness, not to mention that we are a bit oblivious to it, which will only probably exaggerate the problem. But Desperate Housewives translated into Russian is not a good thing.

I was also pleasantly surprised how, for the most part, everyone looks very healthy. Yes, there are the severely obese, but mostly people look very healthy in skin, body type, teeth, eyes, etc. I think this contributes to how youthful people look. Ukrainians often comment on the youthful appearance of people in photos.

I was rather shocked that it took me a whole month to catch up (mostly) with everyone, and I had kept in touch with a lot of people and several had been to visit me in Europe, so how much longer would it take if I just went back to a regular life of busy-ness.

posted by jjs @ 2:20 AM