Today marks 1 week since i landed in the United States of America. Last week Sunday i hugged my mother goodbye at OR Tambo intl. few hours before i boarded my flight to Qatar, from Qatar to the US. I still have this moment replaying in my head of my mom and sisters shedding some tears and telling me that they will miss me but this is a good thing that i'm going away to see the world. I was also brought to tears, my feelings were ambivalent. I was sad i'm leaving my family for a next little while but excited about the adventure that lay ahead.
I'm highely grateful to God for the opportunity to travel to another side of the globe, to learn and grow as a person(hopefully my jean size won't grow too big...because American food!). Its been a simultaneously nerve-wrecking and beautiful experience living in what they call 'a first world country' or 'developed country'. I had so many presumptions about this place before i came here based on the movies, music videos and YouTube Vlogs i saw on the Internet. Did the real America live up to my expectations? DEFINITELY! It exceeded them. In many ways; it is so much more than what you see in the movies and on Television. Its a brand new world for me, a dazzling place i never knew. Unbelievable sights, Indescribable feeling! (yea i stole the lyrics from that song from Alladin)
I remember the first time i stood at times square i felt like my chest was gonna explode, Its beautiful, bright, the air is thin and fresh....then few moments later in what seemed like a Port Elizabeth and Cape Town style it started raining like crazy...i felt like i was home for a sec!
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| Ok this isn't the best times square pic one could take. I'm no photographer and i was overwhelmed by the sight to care about good quality photos. |
Since New York I've moved to another side of the country....a different state(province) where Grey's anatomy hospital is apparently based in
So many things are different to what i'm used to in South Africa, i'm learning daily to adjust. Hopefully in a month or so i would have gotten the hang of things.
1. Time differences and Time zones
Although very far ahead in its infrastructure and development, New York is 6 hours behind South Africa. Having to keep this in mind when calling family has been a real pain. But so much more now because Washington is 9 hours behind, my family is wrapping up their day, i'm waking up.
I heard a silly joke in 2012 when people were afraid the world was gonna end on a speculated date, when that day came someone from South Africa wrote on Facebook "the world isn't ending today because its already tomorrow in Germany". I think i got to understand the joke a bit now that i've traveled across different time zones. The joke is not funny, but it makes sense now.
2. Immigration security
I was so used to flying local in South Africa where you pass airport security it is not as hectic and panic inducing as it is in the middle east and America. Whether you are flying local or international,American airport security is very tight....On top of the usual Laptop/gadgets check, you have to take off your shoes, belt, jacket and stand on a full body metal detector-scanner.
3. Food galore
There is so much food and many food outlets in this country. Delicious. Pray for my jean size!
And whats with these tomatoes that look like they went to private school and has ballet twice a week?
All i see is Turkey. Turkey ham, Turkey burgers, ground Turkey, Turkey wings, Turkey legs...
4. Diversity
I love the diversity in the country, different nationalities, races, languages. This is close to home because South Africa itself is a diverse country. While in NYC, i was once mistaken for a Brazilian and then a Cuban, Its beautiful to see people from all walks of life living together.
5. When English is not really English
Don't judge me if after a month i speak with a California accent. The pronunciations, spellings and meanings of words is somewhat different...its like they are speaking a different language.
The day i landed at JFK airport my driver picked me up, i kept asking why the robots are suspended instead of attached to the poles, he was like "huhhh? where are the robots?" then i had to explain i meant traffic lights. And that thing we call Tomato sauce in South Africa is called 'Ketchup' here, they say tomato sauce is what you put in Spaghetti.
6. Driving
The constant panics when i see we driving into oncoming traffic....not really oncoming but driving on the right side of the road and the driver sitting on the left side- mind blowing! This has turned my world upside down, like i said..its a brand new world.
7. Public transport
IT WORKS!
Here i was riding the metro train which is luxurious but tickets costs the same as for Shosholoza train. Its convenient because there is a lot of traffic on the road and by the way....a majority of people drive automatic cars. Apparently people who drive manual "steak shift" are those who really like cars. Like what?
Big yellow school buses everywhere. Like in the movies! Apart from people driving their kids to school, this is the only legal way for kids to get to school. Its free for kids to ride on one of these- it also picks and drops them off at their doors. No quantums and mini buses.
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| This is what they refer to as a Taxi. Ha! |
8. Currency
Remember that guy from Everybody hates Chris who was always saying "Little dude from across the street, let me hold a dollar"?, a dollar comes in a bill/note and coins as well. I need a crash course on counting American money. I'm always doing conversions on my phone because i don't want to overspend. Things look cheaper in my mind because they are in US Dollars. $1 is currently R12,77(i think) so when i see something that costs $50 my heart leaps then i have to remember that's about R600 so nope!
9. CRIME
I'm not claiming Zero crime rate because i've only been here for a short time but so far it feels safer. There are police everywhere who actually do their job(or overdo it).
Looking forward to more good experiences in this beautiful country, so far it hasn't disappointed!
Seeing SNOW for the very first time in my life was possibly the highlight of the Camping trip. I couldn't believe my eyes when i saw all this beauty. Randy Alcorn put it nicely when he said "The earth is filled with praise prompters, the new world earth will overflow with them". Imagine if this is what creation looks like when its in bondage and subject to corruption...how will the renewed one look like in the life to come? (see Romans 8:19-22).
