We’ve made it to the US! We landed safely after quite a short feeling flight to Cleveland. Continental has fabulous service and from the moment I boarded the plane I felt the almost overwhelming sense of American hospitality and friendliness. That might sound funny but it’s true that the price of living in a cold culture (Southern England) is that you feel almost oppressed by the friendly nature of Americans. Now I’ve found the Scottish, Irish, and Welsh to be as warm and friendly as we Americans tend to be, and I suppose that’s to be expected since so many of them were our Founding Fathers. I’m grateful to them anyway, because there’s simply nothing as warm as being welcomed home at the border to my country after a long stay abroad.
In the spirit of new experiences I am sitting in a Starbucks right now with G, drinking an iced mocha. I’ve never bought coffee at Starbucks before being decidedly anti-monopoly and anti- driving out local business, but they have wifi and so I bought something.
We’re adjusting ok so far to the time difference, but I find myself culture shocking already. And sometimes not shock, but just enjoying my own home culture! We ate breakfast/lunch at an Eat n Park, one of my favorite quality American restaurants in the Ohio/Pennsylvania area. I went for the buffet because I can never make choices when I come back to America- there are just too stinking many options for me to be able to decide on any one thing. I have horrible memories of standing in the shampoo aisle in tears and practically hyperventilating after I got back from Cambodia one summer. But I enjoyed every single bite of my food- I just felt overwhelmed with the connection between flavors and home. I think the waitress must’ve thought I was on drugs, since I sat there with my eyes closed thoroughly enjoying the flavor of an American cherry tomato, fresh broccoli with Ranch dressing on it, pierogies, real buttermilk pancakes, and homestyle scrambled eggs. Makes for an interesting meal eh? I was so struck by the wonderful service we got from the waitress, and just feeling overall that being from the Midwest rocks.
It’s been so good to see our 2 friends who are getting married, and we’ll be spending the next few days helping with any details for the wedding on Saturday. We went for a walk at the Hinckley Reserve which is simply lovely- this part of Ohio is like the baby foothills of the Appalachias, and it’s so beautiful here with lovely valleys and lakes, rivers, streams, and my favorite of all FORESTS!!!!! We did a 3 mile walk last night to help us stay awake, and I felt so very glad to recognize all the trees! I really did almost cry when we came around the corner to see a beautiful misty lake with forested hills rising gently out of the lake. Although I do really miss my friends in Cambridge (who will be laughing as I haven’t even been away for 2 full days!) I am feeling refreshed and revived by a little native air and scenery, and looking forward to enjoying every second in Michigan!
Sorry for the drama- I just can’t help myself. I hope you’re all thinking about where you live with fresh eyes, and remembering the beauty that you see on a daily basis but have forgotten about or gotten used to. I’ll keep updating from here, hopefully not from Starbucks next time.
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