Corndog Virgin

Just one more of the many embarrasing things I need to admit to....

So I was at my friend's house and we were getting lunch. Her kitchen wasn't stalked with much so we pretty much only had a chouce between hamburgers, corndogs, and good ol' PB&J sandwiches. I had had sandwiches the day before so I didn't really feel like having that again. And I don't eat beef so hamburgers were immediatly out of the question. Well that just left corndogs. I've seen them in countless movies, and heard plenty of references to them, but I've never figured out exactly what they are. Cleary they're some type of hot dog, but i didn't know what corn had to do with that. Well, I didn't really want to set myself up for embarrasment, but I had to ask "Um...so what's a corndog exactly?" To which my friend simply gave me an incredulous look which I responded to with a sheepish grin. She just shook her head.

"Good Lord Anna, where have you been all your life?"
"Europe."
"Well yeah, but you must have seriously missed something from your childhood if you don't know what a corndog is."
"Well...corndogs are an American thing."
*she shakes her head* "You are so sad. A corndog is just a hotdog on a stick."
"Where does the corn come in?"
"It's the breading."

Wierd. Dogs on a stick with cornbread....I must have missed something from my childhood, because I don't really get it.....but it turns out we did have them for lunch. And they're not half bad I guess.....

Little Things with a Big Difference

So this is basically just a list of little details here and there that I have gathered in the past few months. These things don't really have a funny story that go along with them, but everytime i see them, they just keep reminding me that I'm in America.

1. Yellow lines in the middle of the road
2. Straws with a larger diameter
3. Thinner paper (I can't write on the back of the paper because even pencil bleeds through)
4. 3-ring binders (I'm used to 2 and 4 ring binders)
5. Plenty of lined paper, but graph paper is practically an endangered species (In Poland it was just the opposite)
6. Different McDonald's Menus (No joke! They actually serve different stuff here)
7. Squirrels. I've never seen so many squirrels in my whole life.
8. Larger parking spaces (I can actually open my car door all the way and not touch the car parked beside me)
9. 6 lane High-ways (In Poland, three lanes was big)
10. Lots of trees, not very many fields at all, like in Poland
11. The place is much more urbanized (But that might just be because I'm living in the suburbs. but in America the suburbs extend much farther away from the city.
12. American accents on the TV, instead of British. Although I speak like an American, I notice American accents more than I do British. British just seems more natural to me...

That seems to be about it. I keep noticing new stuff everyday. When I post this, I swear I'll want to add 2 more things...

Americans Give the Best Instructions...

Long time no write. I'm such a bad blogger. Bad Anna. I doubt any of my former readers even bother anymore. But its the fault of this this evil little invention the government likes to call school. Yep. I just finished my third week of public school, and it has been even more horrible than I imagined. No wonder so many people drop out, I starting to not blame them. I'm again wondering every waking hour why, oh why did have to sign up for Honors?????????

I'll spare you all the gory details and focus on the positive, I'm still getting plenty of funny/insightful America stories, the latest of which involving some rather silly intructions on a popcorn bag and on TV.

I've noticed that on TV America has a lot of feminine commercials (I asked my parents about that, cuz i thought that was kinda wierd, and they said 10 years ago Americans would never dream of running so many ads for tampons...I guess times have changed) and I've also noticed that whenever they run ads for medicine or whatever they spend a good 20 seconds on all the risks and side affects of them after delivering thier selling line. On the British TV that was illegally broadcast to us in Poland (Shhh...don't tell the Brits), they'd always put that stuff in very fine print at the botton of the screen or just say to see your doctor...No doubt the Americans thoroughness is because of all those lawsuits.....

Anyway, theres this new commercial going around advertising some kind of new and improved birth control thing. So they talk about how great it is for a few seconds then go into thier list of warnings: "May cause bloodclots...blahblahblah...should not used by women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant..."

...... well that last line is pretty typical for the various warning these commercials have but...seriously? Isn't that kind of what birth control is supposed to prevent? Though I guess if a woman gets pregnant while using their new and improved birth control, they wouldn't be wanting to use it for very much longer longer anyway...

The other funny incident involves instructions on a popcorn bag. Ok, so the bag was folded up and sealed with a plastic cover. So naturally I removed it and unfolded the bag to read the instructions. The first thing on the list: 1) Remove plastic cover...Yeah, thanks for telling me. Remember, you couldn't even see the instructions until you removed the plastic.

*Shakes head* Sometimes Americans baffle me.

How Old Am I Again?

Now, I always knew I was short, but I had always thought it was pretty clear I was older than a 10 year old. Or so I thought until I came to America. Me and my family go out to eat a lot what with living in a hotel and all, and recently I've been asked a lot whether or not I would like one of those menus that come with crayons so that you can color them. Tonight was the 3rd night in a row ... maybe I'm just not dressing my age, or maybe I look like the artsy type, but I still thought people would be able to guess, that that kinda stuff isnt really my thing anymore. Though I suppose I should be flattered that they think I don't look that old. Maybe when I get even older I won't need to worry about wrinkles. O.O That does seem to brighten my future.

But know the funniest part? Is that almost everytime I turn down the crayon menu, I immediatly become an adult. After that they always call me "Miss". One waiter ever called me "Ma'am". Oh dear. Whatever happened to being a teenager? Or has America changed so much in my ten year absence that those years just became nonexistant? What a terrifying thought.

Honors: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

So you're probably wondering where the heck I've been the past week. I need to get better at saying when I'm going to be out for a while, but I'm a teenager! Part of my job is to be forgetful and irresponsible. What's the other half? School ... the first one was more fun. So the reason I've been MIA the past week is because of Honors. What in the world possesed me to sign up for Honors? School hasn't even started yet and they've already put me to work! So a few weeks ago I was given the summer assignments for English and Pre-Calculus in my new school. I would have gotten them sooner but see I was in Europe when they were first handed out. I was suppossed to have all summer to do them. I had about three weeks. For English I needed to read two books, write two papers, as well as several charts and diagrams. They're hard enough. Then I have to do a couple pages of review for Pre-Calc, and then some Intro-Pre-Calc.

Joy. (notice how that was sarcastic)

So now I guess I'm stuck trying to finish several assignment I was supposed to have months to finish in weeks. Mind you, I all this is due on the first day of school and my English assignment counts for 10% of my first marking grade. And I haven't even met the teacher!

(Yes I'm venting. This really has nothing to do with coming to the USA and being bombarded with freaky cultural differences, but I'm a bit frustrated.)

Ok well, I should probably get back to work on them. School was easier in elementary school. Anyone else noticed that?

The Roads Are Too Smooth

That's right folks. I said it. I didn't misspell any words (though that might be a believable situation). I really meant what the title said. American roads are too smooth.

Yeah, when you go to Poland, you have to complain about the roads. Bumpy, cracked, uneven, pothole ridden, and even dented down on either side from the weight of the cars. I really thought that that would be the one thing about Poland I wouldn't miss. Fact is...I do. I don't know, just something about the roads back Poland have something that American roads don't. And I don't mean, thier bumpy-ness.

Side Note: I figured out a way to get pictures onto the blog, without having a camera. Google! yeah, its probably illegal to post pictures from someone else's website, but anway. If these are your pictures, just tell and I'll give you credit, or take them down, which ever... please don't make me take them down. My blog is so boring without pictures =}

Poland roads. They don't look very inviting. They look dangerous.

And American Roads. They look nice, friendly and inviting.

But I like Polish roads. Maybe I am insane after all, or maybe I'm just not ready to let go of Poland, but I like Poland roads better. It's difficult to explain. I think it's because all those cracks gave the roads character. You never really know what you were going to get. And yes, given, what you usually got was a big jolt. But American roads are so boring...so predictable.

Yeah, I think I am crazy after all. Darn it. But I actually have a real reason why I think Poland roads are better: They have more traction! Yep, all those little bumps and cracks make it easier to grip the road. So it a rain storm (which face it we have a lot in Poland) Its actually safer than the slick American roads. So American roads may seem less dangerous, until the rain comes! Or snow. Maybe thats why Americans get snow days with two inches of snow. My school in Poland hasn't had a snow day in 14 years I believe. I think I may be onto something here...

You're Not in Poland Anymore!

So this post sort of relates back to my Everyone Speaks English post last month. Only that was about how everyone around me, well, speaks English. This is about how I seem to speak Polish. Now, I'll admit, I don't actually speak Polish, but after six years I've of course had to memorize some basic words and key frases. And it's become so much of a reflex for me to use them...well, let's just say I've been getting some looks along the lines of "Well there's a Crazy".

Here's a replay of a typical Polish-speaking situation that I got myself into yesterday: Ok, so I walk up to a McDonalds, and since really I've only been to Polish McDonalds' I've of course memorized my order in Polish. So I walk up there, not bothering to look at menu (which was ofcourse English and what should have tipped me off) and I say very smoothly (and forgive me, any Polish speakers who read this, I don't actually know how to spell these words): "Moła frytki i szec McNugget prosze." ... Then I'm like, "Oh wait, darn it, not again." At this point is generally when I get "The Look". So I start stuttering about how I'm used to speaking Polish, and that I forget I'm in America now (Yeah, real smooth Anna, real smooth). Then I hear customers behind me clearing thier throats, and then I duck my head and mutter my English order.

I've lost count of how many times I've bumped into someone and said "Pszeprasam" (Excuse me) or when someone has held the door open for me I've said "Dzienkuje" (Thank you). Or I've held open the door and said "Prosze".

You know, you'd think that it wouldn't be that difficult to get rid of all those automatic reflexes, but, six years is a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes me that long to get over them. But until then I'm going to get a lot more "The Look"s. I guess its too bad I don't live in Chicago.

Killer Ivy!

Yeah, I know I know, I promised that I would begin to write daily entries, I know. The reason this entry is so late is because I was hoping, I would be able to put some pictures in, but me, being myself (as in technologicly challenged) at first couldn’t convince my dad that I could use a camera without breaking it (Har har). Then when I finally got permission, and finally had the chance to take my pictures, that was when he told me that we don’t have the cable that downloads photos off the camera and onto the computer. That will come in two months with the rest of our household goods. Well that’s just swell. So come back in two months to get the pictures that go along with this entry.

Anyway. Back to the…cue dramatic music…Killer Ivy of My Back Yard! Dun dun duuuuuuun!

A word of advice: Don’t plant ivy in you’re backyard thinking that it’ll make a nice cover for the berm in the back of you’re yard. Then move away and come back ten years later because this happens:

(insert future picture here)

What the picture should show is about 10 to 15 feet worth of ivy (over a foot thick in some places) creeping towards our house. Only about 10 more feet, and it would begin to take over the house itself. It’s already smothered a tree that is now leaning threateningly over the house. Oh dear.

Now we (meaning my brother and I) have been given the task of clearing all the ivy. Well don’t I feel special. At least its not poison ivy. Give thanks everyday for small miracles. We’ve started clearing, and I must say, its not fun. That first time I was honestly worried that the small dent we had made would be instantly covered over again the next day (It wasn’t). We get about 3 garbage bags full per visit, but what’s actually sort of merciful of the ivy is that even if you grab the even the smallest leaf, the roots will extend all the way back. And the roots are pretty close to surface so its not that difficult to pull up. That is until all those roots become tangled underneath the surface…

But let’s not try to think about that. Best case scenario is that in two months I’ll have it all cleared and it won’t have eaten me. One can only hope.

Turns Signals Have a Purpose

Now, if you've ever driven in Poland, you tend to notice two things: one, the roads are horrible; two, the drivers are generally ok, but then there will always be a few that just make everything so much harder. But since I don't drive (yet) this never really affected me. And since I'll only be driving in the States (and I figured American drivers would be better) I figured I wouldn't really need to worry much about crazy drivers on the roads.

Ha! I may not drive but my dad does, and I've noticed that he is becoming increasingly frustrated with people who don't use thier turn signals! Of course I know he would never use profanity in front of us kids, I have a feeling that he may swear a bit more generously on his way to work when he gives up his chance to move because he wasn't aware that that guy was going to turn anyways.

Given, these drivers aren't generally pushy and all over the road, but I have a feeling that the many un-used turn signals going around are giving my father a few extra grey hairs. Plus now my brother (who just got his license) and I are constantly being ridiculed on "You need to always use your turn signals! Even if there is no one on the road, use you're turn signals!" and so on and so forth. So please, for my dad's own happyness, use your turn signals people. Thank You. =)

My Recent Absense

I don't think I spelled "absense" right in my title =/. Anyhow, that's not very important right now. What's important is that I need to shake off this guilty feeling I'm carrying right now because I have not been blogging nearly as much as I should be. Trust me, this is not for lack of ideas (if only, I have way too many things I need to talk about, which is why I feel so guilty). Actually I probably wouldn't have posted this at all, except, I was just over reading Slightly Cracked, which is an amazing blog written by the mom of one of my very close friends, and I saw that my blog was mentioned! I didn't know that anyone other than myself actually would be reading it, so I was a bit shocked to be completely honest. And since she recommended it, I immediatly felt bad for neglecting my blog. So here I am, trying to un-neglect it. =)

Anyway, now time for my "dog-ate-my-homework" or in this case "computer" excuse. The fact is that since returning to the USA, I have been swamped with so many other things (like spending time with long-lost friends, and trying to get registered for school) that I really have had no time to blog. However, from now on I'm to be trying to post daily (-ish) since right now I have about 5 stories that need to be written. So hopefully you'll be seeing much more of me soon.

What's With The AC?

Recently its been hitting well into the 90's in temperature. And its sticky, not the most comfortable. It's ridiculously hot. But, the thing is, I'm carrying around a sweater, or at least a light jacket with me everywhere I go. The reason? These people are obsessed with air conditioning. So this was actually one of my very first observations, but I decided to leave it out of my blog, in case the staggering difference in temperature from inside to outside only applied to the few of the places I had been. But now that I've been here about a week, I found that actually, it not just a few places. Everyone completely overuses the AC. Ok, yes, it is freakishly hot out there, but need we make the inside resemble the Arctic?

I'm not exaggerating. I actually am carrying around a sweater with me, even though it's so hot. I put it on when I come inside, and take it off when I come back out. I've already gotten a few questioning stares. But without it I freeze. It's bad enough that your blood boils outside, but then you're fingers turn to icicles once you step inside. Ok, so maybe that was exaggerating, but not by much. What ever happened to the comfortable midground?

Everyone Speaks English!

I know that seems rather obvious what with living in the USA and all, but after living/visiting only non-english speaking countries for the past decade, its very...unnerving being able to hear and understand everyone around you. Whenever I go out I feel like such an eavedropper. And I'm finding now that I'm speaking in a much lower voice, knowing that if I can understand everyone around me, then they can understand me. I mean, in Poland a lot of people spoke English, but its just different here. I hear English everywhere. Even at my old school (which was an international school) I barely heard English outside the classrooms. It was always a mix of Polish, Swedish, Spanish, and Korean. Its two completely different things knowing that everyone around you knows English (however don't tend to speak it) and having everyone actually be speaking it all the time. Does that make sense at all?

Another very strange English thing, is when you turn on the car radio, and actually understand what they're saying! In Poland I never could understand what was going on in the radio, but that was completely normal. I was used to it. Now that I'm in America what was once backround noise is now something that I listen intently to, more out of awe than actual interest of what the radio station has to say. I'm so used to Polish radio that when it comes on now, and I hear English, I always have to do a double-take. And everyone should be grateful that I don't have my driver's license yet. Knowing that I'm so focused on the radio that I'm barely even aware of it when my dad has parked the car and turned off the engine, I don't want to know what wake of distruction would insue were I behind the wheel. All because I can understand the radio.

Penguins at Pizza Hut

As sort of a celebration of arriving to the States unscathed, my family and I decided to go out for pizza, albeit at 9 pm because all our biological clocks were wacked up still from jetlag. But it surprised me that we weren't the only ones at Pizza Hut when we got there, in fact there were three other families, two of which with kids. Not something you would generally see in Poland. Children rarely eat at restaurants, though I'm not entirely sure why, but you just don't see them that much, let alone at 9.00 at night. Huh.

But that was just my side-observation, and I'll bet your wondering what happened to the penguins. Well I'm sorry to say that there weren't any real penguins at Pizza Hut (sadly) what with it being almost 33 degrees C today. But I'll tell you why I think penguins might frequent Pizza Hut in the winter:

So I ordered a medium pizza, forgetting that in America a medium is equal to a large in Poland. It didn't look like I would be able to finish the entire thing in one sitting, so asked for a box that I could put the leftovers in when I was done. Turns out I had even more pizza left than expected because when the box came, three big black words jumped out on the side of it "Reheat and Re-eat!" and so I quickly lost my appitite as my mind filled with the image of a penguin regurgitating her meal for her chick to re-eat. I doubt that was quite intention of the box designer.......I have yet to actual eat the pizza.

Welcome to America

Well we've finally made it. As I write this it is about 4 am, and we have arrived at the hotel (finally). However, I think its 10 in the morning. Jet-lag sucks. After traveling for about 27, we finally arrived in Baltimore at around 1 am, only to find out that one of our suitcases (of course it had to be my suitcase), never actually made it onto the plane. Joy. Luckily it should arrive tomorrow (well technically today I guess) and they will deliver it to the hotel. But for tonight, I guess im kinda stuck without pajamas.

At least our two cats made it safely. And they let all of Baltimore know it. But I suppose after being cooped up in a cage for about 27 hours I'd want to be out of there too.

One of the first things I noticed about Americans, is that they sure seem to love cats. When we went to pick them up, a little boy was sitting infront of their cages with the biggest grin on his face as his mom snapped a picture. Then as I waited with them, while the rest of my family got the rest of our luggage (minus the one that was missing) about 15 different people, and not just kids, came over to Ooo and Aww over them. To be honest I would have helped with the bags, if I wasn't so afraid someone would actually open the cages. And finally on the shuttle to the car rental place a 20 year-old girl sat with her boyfriend and as soon as she heard them:

Girl: Cats!
Cats: Meow!
Girl: Aw! I love cats!
Cats: Meow!
Girl: Aw! Aren't they adorable! Dave, can't you hear the cats?
Cats: Meow!
Girl: There so sweet! I love cats!
Cats: Meow!

And it so went on for a few minutes until the cats started to quiet down.
Luckily the hotel was pretty vacant when we arrived so the cats didn't get any more admirers. Well thats about it for now. I'm now going to sleep, or at least lie down and try to will myself to sleep. Did I mention jet-lag sucks? Welcome to America.

Intro

So this is my first post and would just like to say hello to all the people who may begin to read it...although I don't know how many that's going to be, but to you who are, Hi and Welcome!

Just a quick note/disclaimer before I continue with the intro: I can be quite crazy and random at times, so when you first meet me, some may be just a little put off by my crazy-ness. I would like assure you all that I am completely sane, or at least as completely sane as any normal teenage girl would be, and that you should give me chance. Usually once people get used to me they find me quite likable...hopefully...possibly...*shifty eyes*...anyway, I also often exagerate the points I'm trying to make, so don't necassarily take everthing I say down in concrete truth. And also I should also let you know, that although, yes, I am a writer, I cannot spell. Which is why I give thanks everyday for SpellCheck. Even so I would like to say sorry for any typos one might find in my blogs.

Now, let me introduce myself very quickly, my name is AnnaKay, or at least thats what I go by. I am a high school student who is at the moment living in Warsaw, Poland. This summer I am moving back to the USA after living 10 years overseas. As my blog name might imply, this is my attempt to record all my experiences as a native coming home again to my country, which has taken a foreign-like quality to it. I say "attempt" because as I am a full time student I'm not sure how often I'll be able to post my findings. This is also an "attemt" because although I hope to find some intersting/funny/embarrasing/insightful stories to share, I honestly don't know what to expect. So this "attempt" could turn out to be a total flop or it could be pretty cool...we shall see...

Anyway, since I haven't actually gotten there yet, I have yet to find anything worth sharing. But come check it out again in a few weeks and I should have at least something up...So that was my little intro and I hope you guys come back. Bye!

~AnnaKay