Strange things you're not used to

[Jeraly 4]

I get bad reactions to bug bites as well - I haven't been too bad so far this time round but in the past it has been dreadful and the only thing that helps is bathing the bitten area in ice water...

I also didn't realise we get tarantulas.... Ok so I think we are safe... maybe... in the desert but we were talking to friends in AZ who get them in the house and everything... that is just too creepy...

We did see a king snake in the parking lot of the court house while we were away though - that was pretty cool

[TBoneTX 48,099]

Invasion by another Yanqui interloper:

Texas certainly is a far cry from London. It lacks the diversity, history, rain and its just not cosmopolitan.

Them's fightin' words, li'l darlin'. "No diversity?" There are nearly as many Mexicans in Mexico as there are in Texas. "No history"? Was England ever its own country, like Texas was? "No rain"? Have a hurricane or two with your spot of tea. (If they're named after guys, then they're himmicanes.) And, finally, we (or at least most magazine-racks in stores) are Cosmopolitan. Si, man.

Other items of note:

Spiders: It amazes me how women can take boiling-hot wax, pour it onto their inner thighs, rip out hair by the roots, and still be afraid of a spider.

Cockroaches: In Texas, their minimum length is 6 feet (convert to metric), and it's a matter of life or death -- you or them.

Story: A Texan, vacationing (uh, "on holiday") in rural Vermont for the first time, stayed in a cabin. It was summertime, and the night temperature was 70 F. (convert to C.), so the Texan decided to sleep with the windows open in order to enjoy the brisk, cold air.

During the night, a fox disturbed four chickens that were roosting nearby, and they flew into the cabin, squawking and flapping. The half-asleep Texan swatted at them with his hands until they flew back outside, and he fell asleep again.

After returning home, the Texan called one of his buddies, and said, "And, Ah saw only four mosquitoes the whole time, and they was LITTLE ones!"

North America: How did Canada get its name? C-eh-N-eh-D-eh.

VJ-hood: It's good to see where my favo(u)rite British & Canadian ladies are hanging out these days. Si, man.

[Jeraly 4]

Invasion by another Yanqui interloper:

Texas certainly is a far cry from London. It lacks the diversity, history, rain and its just not cosmopolitan.

Them's fightin' words, li'l darlin'. "No diversity?" There are nearly as many Mexicans in Mexico as there are in Texas. "No history"? Was England ever its own country, like Texas was? "No rain"? Have a hurricane or two with your spot of tea. (If they're named after guys, then they're himmicanes.) And, finally, we (or at least most magazine-racks in stores) are Cosmopolitan. Si, man.

Other items of note:

Spiders: It amazes me how women can take boiling-hot wax, pour it onto their inner thighs, rip out hair by the roots, and still be afraid of a spider.

Cockroaches: In Texas, their minimum length is 6 feet (convert to metric), and it's a matter of life or death -- you or them.

Story: A Texan, vacationing (uh, "on holiday") in rural Vermont for the first time, stayed in a cabin. It was summertime, and the night temperature was 70 F. (convert to C.), so the Texan decided to sleep with the windows open in order to enjoy the brisk, cold air.

During the night, a fox disturbed four chickens that were roosting nearby, and they flew into the cabin, squawking and flapping. The half-asleep Texan swatted at them with his hands until they flew back outside, and he fell asleep again.

After returning home, the Texan called one of his buddies, and said, "And, Ah saw only four mosquitoes the whole time, and they was LITTLE ones!"

North America: How did Canada get its name? C-eh-N-eh-D-eh.

VJ-hood: It's good to see where my favo(u)rite British & Canadian ladies are hanging out these days. Si, man.

TB you always crack me up - good to see you popping in to say hi in your special little way How are things with you now? Please tell me that things are finally sorted out?!

As for the boiling hot wax... uh-uh, not me - I am not that crazy and really am just a big wuss Razors will do just fine, although shaving in a shower is prolly just as painful as waxing

[TBoneTX 48,099]

Why, thank you, Dear. Shaving works both ways. As a mid-teenager, I was wild to start shaving. My dad, who was normally very understated, took me by the shoulders and said, "Son, if you never listen to anything else I ever say, hear me now: PUT IT OFF, as long as possible." I wish that I'd listened, si man.

Are things out-sorted? Well, I am counting no chickens until C.'s visa is IN HAND. I will post no review whatsoever of the organized, congenial, truthful, fair, respectful, making-me-proud-to-be-a-Yanqui consulate until C. is safely and completely INSIDE the U.S. (probably October). This should speak volumes; see signature for an inkling.

Speaking of chickens ("pollos" in Mexico & Ecuador, si man), get a load of this very cool website: http://www.pollofeliz.com

On a visit to Ojinaga, Mexico (cool city, across from Presidio, Texas -- try to find it on the map), and without knowing a word of Spanish except for the crucially necessary "pollo," I managed to order and subsequently eat (in one sitting) a pollo entero (an entire roasted chicken) at Pollo Feliz. Question: Why is the restaurant named "Happy Chicken" if all of the chickens there are dead and are eaten, huh man? This quandary notwithstanding, it's said that each of us has 15 minutes of fame, and that was my 18 or 20 minutes thereof, si man.

Otherwise, my Spanish is so proficient that when I proudly and carefully enunciate "Soy hecho en Ecuador" ("I am made in Ecuador"), the Ecuadorians (and the Mexicans, too) immediately and helpfully point the direction toward the restroom. Uh, si man.

As a mere Colonist who has spent his life here across The Pond, I am hono(u)red to be in the august (next month, the septembral) presence of so many lovely, gracious Britannica-Americanas, si man. Anyone from anywhere who wants insights on U.S. stuff, including topics even more crucial than spiders, roachcocks, and pollos, is welcome to inquire, si man.

[Az Parris 0]

Hope you don't mind another US citizen poking his nose in here.

My wife (Russian) was astounded by "all you can eat" restaurants. Chinese buffets especially. She loves those.

For her, one of the things that still gets to her (after being here almost 3 years) is how (in general) American women just don't take care of themselves. She will dress nicely and put on makeup, even if all we are doing is going to Wal-Mart or some such. She'll see some dumpy American chick wearing a ratty t-shirt, stained sweat pants, and houseshoes while we are out, and just cannot fathom allowing herself to be seen in public like that.

For a while, I kept trying to get her to find some Russian friends (there is a rather large Russian community in the Atlanta area), but she refuses. Pretty much says that she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. I find it odd, but ok...

As for the recycling thing - dunno about elsewhere, but it is included in our trash pickup service. *shrug*

And, being in a large metropolitan area such as Atlanta, there's plenty of food choices besides "southern fried". Lots of farmer's markets, and international markets. We can even get some of her (and my) favourite Russian beer here.

Thanks for the entertaining reading...I always find it fascinating to see how others view us "Yanks".

[germangel 0]

well there are just amazing things here in the US.

one thing that bugs me is that in every store I am a different size. Some stores really vanity size and I'm like a 3. Others I'm a 6. Especially pants I cannot buy without trying them on first.

Not having the metric system throws me off...the system here makes no sense at all. 12 inches in a foot? why not 100 cm in a meter instead? Much easier. Also, Fahrenheit...I can't figure it out

How about fried food (in the south). If you get fish at a restaurant, there is more breading than fish on it.

Also, vegetables at the supermarket...not so fresh sometimes...my fruit goes bad after 1 1/2 days every time.

Fake friendliness...my biggest issue. Everyone seems so nice at first and "oh my gosh, we need to hang out sometime" but never mean it. If I say let's do something I mean it...Grrrr....drives me nuts

[StoryAngel 4]

Invasion by another Yanqui interloper:

Texas certainly is a far cry from London. It lacks the diversity, history, rain and its just not cosmopolitan.

Them's fightin' words, li'l darlin'. "No diversity?" There are nearly as many Mexicans in Mexico as there are in Texas. "No history"? Was England ever its own country, like Texas was? "No rain"? Have a hurricane or two with your spot of tea. (If they're named after guys, then they're himmicanes.) And, finally, we (or at least most magazine-racks in stores) are Cosmopolitan. Si, man.

VJ-hood: It's good to see where my favo(u)rite British & Canadian ladies are hanging out these days. Si, man.

TB - as a TX-living London-born Brit, this really made me laugh!!

Fake friendliness...my biggest issue. Everyone seems so nice at first and "oh my gosh, we need to hang out sometime" but never mean it. If I say let's do something I mean it...Grrrr....drives me nuts

Yup .... I don't like this either. Also, saying "I love you guys" to a group of friends, or saying someone is your bestest buddy when you've only known them five minutes....

[germangel 0]

Also, tax added to the price posted. Can't stand it. You never know how much stuff actually is unless you shop with a calculator, know all the different % of tax for different stuff or are a math genius...

[germangel 0]

oh forgot...

Refills....co-signing on what's been said already

Pancakes/pancake mix.....where I'm from pancakes are big thin and you cover them with chocolate spread, sugar, ice cream or jam. Certainly not butter and syrup, and what's with throwing fruit in there?? And whatever happened to flower, eggs and milk. Leave it to americans to make pancakes from a box.

The Pancakes....yes yes yes....here they call them Crepes although they aren't the traditional crepes, more like our Pancakes.

Now I want pancakes...not the American kind...

[TBoneTX 48,099]

one thing that bugs me is that in every store I am a different size. Some stores really vanity size and I'm like a 3. Others I'm a 6. Especially pants I cannot buy without trying them on first.

Back in the 1960s & earlier 1970s, one could count on consistency in clothing-sizes in the U.S., but not since then. I too must try on everything before I buy it. This is very likely because clothing is made in and imported from countries all around the world, where concepts of "sizes" differ. When I visit border towns in Mexico (which cater to American tourists) and want to buy a T-shirt, I now know to buy the larger size "up" from usual (no matter for whom I'm shopping) -- XL instead of L, for example. Therefore, just about all that we can do is to view the labeled sizes as a guide, and work from that point. This principle applies even to shoes!

[Jeraly 4]

On a visit to Ojinaga, Mexico (cool city, across from Presidio, Texas -- try to find it on the map), and without knowing a word of Spanish except for the crucially necessary "pollo," I managed to order and subsequently eat (in one sitting) a pollo entero (an entire roasted chicken) at Pollo Feliz. Question: Why is the restaurant named "Happy Chicken" if all of the chickens there are dead and are eaten, huh man? This quandary notwithstanding, it's said that each of us has 15 minutes of fame, and that was my 18 or 20 minutes thereof, si man.

Well what about El Pollo Loco? I mean - is it the poultry version of Mad Cow Disease???

[Az Parris 0]

Well what about El Pollo Loco? I mean - is it the poultry version of Mad Cow Disease???

I think it means "The Crazy Chicken".

We have a local chain restaurant here by that name.

[Jeraly 4]

Well what about El Pollo Loco? I mean - is it the poultry version of Mad Cow Disease???

I think it means "The Crazy Chicken".

We have a local chain restaurant here by that name.

That's what I was getting at...

[TBoneTX 48,099]

I would rather eat a happy chicken than a crazy one, although whether they're happy vs. crazy after they're dead is open to conjecture.

I believe that in Nuevo Laredo (Mexico), I saw a pollo restaurant called "Pollo Loco."

Here's a crucial question for our newcomers: Of the various fried-chicken chain restaurants here in the Colonies, which is your favo(u)rite, and why? Which is your least favo(u)rite? Examples are: KFC, Hartz, Church's, Popeye's. There may be other regional chains. Si, man?

[Marilyn. 340]

El Polo Loco FTW!!

KFC is teh suck