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.