I’ve only been here 5 minutes and I’m already in love
From the moment I arrived here I knew I’d be very happy. I really can’t get over how friendly and cheerful Americans are, I’ve never felt so welcome in all my life. It is extremely different here to life in the UK and everything is to the extreme. There are pick-up trucks and Cadillacs everywhere. It’s impossible to finish a meal they are so big and all soft drinks seem to come with as many free refills as you feel like. The airports are like huge shopping malls and far more comfortable and kitted out than any European airport I’ve ever been to – at Pittsburgh Intl. Airport they had rocking chairs all over the place in the main seating areas and in front of windows, which people were happy to sit in and rock the time away like it was completely normal.
We’re staying in a motel near the airport for two nights, while Nathan goes to various job interviews and we look for a place to stay in Pittsburgh. I’ts exactly like motels in the movies, strips of apartments with your own front door key, more than a bit sleazy and very comfortable. This morning while Nathan was at an interview I had breakfast at Denny’s diner. I made the mistake of seating myself and asking for tomato sauce to go with my fries. It was exactly how I’d imagined a real diner to be – bright colours, ceiling fans, men in cowboy hats or military camo eating greasy breakfasts, everything was fried and came with fries. I walked back to the motel and noticed there seemed to be no walkway for pedestrians to get around and realised I was the only person travelling without a car. I felt so ridiculous scrambelling up the side of grassy slopes to get out of the traffic.
Yay for free wifi in the motel! Yay that Nathan’s on his way home from a very successful interview!! Today I’m going to get to choose our new apartment or house from a list of the best he’s already seen.
And soon I get to meet Bob, Chad, Shawn and Julie, and Nathan’s mom and sister! I can’t wait to finally meet Tristan and give him a big gigantic squeeze till he squeaks!
fly*
see the site has even forgotten me… :’o(
Anonymous
Im confused… :o) where why what how ??? jees I havent been away that long have I ???
Cait
Hey, when are you two going to come up for air and let us hear about your adventures as a newly arrived American?
olivia
Wow 22 comments! That’s insane. Sorry for the lack of updates guys. I am finally up and running again thanks to an unsuspecting neighbour who has generously donated some of their wifi bandwidth. Hope you like all the updates :@)
Fuschia Faery
Yes it is Cait. Careful with the walking where there are no pavements Livvy, Firelord used to live in the states & in some places they actually do you for jaywalking! Glad things are going well! Don’t eat too much fried stuff!
Hugs
Faery & Firelord
Bryan Buchan
Wonderful to hear you arrived safe and sound and are enjoying Pittsburg PA. How exciting to pick up and stir up something new in your life! I just moved from Michigan to Arizona and have never regretted it yet! Phoenix is incredible and Google just decided to move it HQ here! You should concider the SW of the USA before you get too planted out east 🙂 Look forward to you designing my blog when you get settled! Welcome 🙂
Peace,
Bryan
chad
hahaha, ‘mum’
albear
Well great to know your there safe and sound.
I cant belive it only been there 5min and already your spelling mum like a yank….
bob
Yay! I met Liv.
nathan
Fifty? I could TWO girls for that!!
ken
whoops that previous post was supposed to be KEN not KENT!!! hmmm im thinking of my trip this weekend to the GF
kent
hey livvie… glad to hear you having fun… 🙂
i love you very much… ( i love you long time too for feefty dollah’s)
ken 😉
bob
hopefully i get to see you tomorrow.
dawn
So much fun! Looking forward to an update and some photos, too!
Jam
The title of this entry should also read….
“I’ve only been here 5 minutes and I’m STILL in love!”
You made it…tomato sauce and all….
CHAD
mmm, i love gravy with fries. those beatnik portlanders don’t know home-cooking. in fact, i’m sure denny’s would serve gravy on fries without a blink
Ashley
I do feel your happiness and how you feel when you just cope with your new environment. It’s amazing and exciting to experience. I wish everything’s going well for you. Take care!!!
xxx
Cait
Just being ignorant here, but is “tomato sauce” in UK what we call ketchup here in the Hew Ess of Hay?
olivia
Oh wow what an amazing surprise to have all these wonderful comments already!! Thanks so much :@)
Well today went extremely well and we have decided on a sweet apartment in a pretty street. If all goes well we’ll be moving in soon!!! And life will return to almost normal.
Cait
I’m so, so, so excited that you’re here in America. Please, tell us all about what you find strange and different, and what you like and don’t like. I think it’s wonderful to see ourselves through “new” eyes. When you get settled in to the apt., please send me your address and phone #. I have a couple of things I need to send your way!!!! I’m not telling, either.
Niqkita
I’m sooo glad you’re here! it’s almost like I can feel that you are on the ground not so far away…
though I do wish you were going to be settling in Portland, can’t have it all I s’pose!
When I moved here as a child they looked at me funny for requesting gravey with my fries like I always had in Canada, funny how little things can differ so!
I can hardly wait to read more of your impressions as you get around this big country of ours, I always love your perspective on things…
xoxox
quiddity
don’t they have tomato sauce in the US? Are they too posh?
I’m so happy for you sweetheart. You’re an inspirational friend and I can’t help but feel an incey bit sad that you’re no longer in the same country as me. Still, it’s a world wide web so you’re only really a click away.
love you
quid
CHAD
oh, that was the pagan me above.
tomato sauce!!! hahaha. did they look at you weird until they figured it out or did they look at you weird and then bring you speghetti sauce?
i can’t wait to hear more about your excitement about things that i wish i didn’t overlook or have something different with which to compare with. even though things can get pretty different from one region of here to another
Inari Moonchild Osiris
i’m off saturday? julie shawn olivia? somewhere?
Anonymous
gr8 stuff livs
njoy big things
luv you
dad
julie
glad to hear you’ve arrived safely, can’t wait to stay up too late laughing and talking. see you soon?