Wonders of the new World

[LvivLovers 39]

One of the things my wife was most amazed with was....the roads! She couldn't believe how flat and smooth they were.

She was also very impressed with how clean everything is, the lack of trash, etc....I've told her that sort of depends on where you are.

Let's see what else....

Movie theatres (especially the IMAX we saw Batman in)

Khol's, TJ Maxx, Wal-Mart, Frys, etc.

Friendlyness of most people and how much they smile, greet one another, and are polite.

Nature. She'd only seen squirrels a few times in her life...here they are all over the place. She really freaks out when she sees deer or the occasional racoon or opposum.

Grocery stores...how many we have and how large they are, size of aisles, etc. Fruits and vegetables year round.

Internet speeds...we've got about 25Mbps atm...she was getting around 1-5Kbps before. (probably why she DLs anything and everything)

Cheap Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations. Apparently they were hard to come by.

Those are a few off the top of my head...I'm sure I'm leaving out some big ones though.

[visaveteran 0]

Meh, I'm just being satirical. Don't read too much into it. Stupid comes in many flavors. White people made stupid fashionable, but we don't have the corner on it.

Ah...satire. I was too stupid to get it. Please cut me some slack...I'm a white American.

[Scott and Iryna 2]

Darn... I was afraid it was just my crazy wife that doesn't like pancakes and syrup...

Another thing she finds new and amazing... skunks. Unsurprisingly, she is not impressed.

[visaveteran 0]

My wife has not demonstrated a lot of "shock" and "wow" comments about very much here. She likes some foods better here, others see likes Russian better. She does like that our local area is clean and well taken care of.

She has commented drivers are better here than Russia with less crazy traffic jams..which tells me just how bad it must be on the Russian roads.

Overall, not much has garnered special comments one way or the other. Only thing I can offer is she was surprised how ugly and poorly dressed Americans are. Both men and women. And I'm sure Mox would agree.

[Kailey 3]

Hehe, yep on everything you posted. She wasn't surprised about much, and mostly notes anything different without much surprise. Sort of like we all did when visiting her country. "Oh, coat checks. Interesting." My wife did say, however, that Americans must be worse drivers because they are so careful.

I would agree on driving - when in Boston i was told that traffic there is just awful and drivers are crazy and rude ... hmm... then this is what I saw: polite people queueing in a traffic jam.. noone tried to drive on the sidewalk, noone was using a horn every 3 minutes just to vent, noone did set up a purchased on the black market police siren on the car roof and started a siren forcing the way (that happend in Russia quite often at the late 80s-90s:) ).

In Texas with its straight roads that just whisper 'let's drive faster, road is so clean and straight' people still seem to drive 60 if the sign says '60'. I understand that not 100% drive like this and yes, you can see a daredevil here and there but that's the key word: 'here and there', and not everywhere .

Actually that topic made me curious - would an average ( by 'average' I mean not criminal, not on drugs, just a good citizen that has no time to spend in a traffic jam) American driver use a sidewalk to shorten the way? Or drive behind a tram (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tram ) ON tram road using tram as a shield?

+ I remebered one more 'wonder' - size of plates (portion) in restaurants!!!

Also that people you see for the 1st time in your life start a conversation and you can talk for 5-10 min as if you know each other for years . That can happen in Russia too but not as often as in the USA.

Edited December 24, 2009 by Kailey

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I would agree on driving - when in Boston i was told that traffic there is just awful and drivers are crazy and rude ... hmm... then this is what I saw: polite people queueing in a traffic jam.. noone tried to drive on the sidewalk, noone was using a horn every 3 minutes just to vent, noone did set up a purchased on the black market police siren on the car roof and started a siren forcing the way (that happend in Russia quite often at the late 80s-90s:) ).

It is funny that you mentioned driving in Boston as a good example, a city where driving on the breakdown lane is LEGAL in many places and where drivers seem to think that it is legal everywhere. Never breakdown in the breakdown lane in Boston ... drivers go faster there than on other lanes

[Oksana81 0]

US roads are great, except Boston, MA and Belmont, MA

[1HappyGuy 45]

Back to topic: This made me think since my wife has been here 4 years now. I think the first thing she was amazed with was our bed, a king size. But then, she thinks we have it all wrong about the bathroom with the toilet and shower in the same room. Why did we build them that way? (Its a good thing we have two bathrooms).

As far as comparing things here to Ukraine, there is a lot of negatives in her opinion. The food here is not very good because we of course use chemicals to grow them. But if you really want to get her going, talk about the medical profession. She thinks the costs are outrageous, the system of going to a doctor to get a referral for some type of specialist and seeing a doctor for five minutes and getting a bill for $75 is horrible. She has a term for the medical profession in America. Mafia!

[LvivLovers 39]

Back to topic: This made me think since my wife has been here 4 years now. I think the first thing she was amazed with was our bed, a king size. But then, she thinks we have it all wrong about the bathroom with the toilet and shower in the same room. Why did we build them that way? (Its a good thing we have two bathrooms).

As far as comparing things here to Ukraine, there is a lot of negatives in her opinion. The food here is not very good because we of course use chemicals to grow them. But if you really want to get her going, talk about the medical profession. She thinks the costs are outrageous, the system of going to a doctor to get a referral for some type of specialist and seeing a doctor for five minutes and getting a bill for $75 is horrible. She has a term for the medical profession in America. Mafia!

That's why I'm sending my wife to medical school! In the long run it will be cheaper to get treatment! hahaha Really though, my wife was shocked by medical costs too and can't understand why if Ukraine can have "free" medical care for everyone, why can't the USA? It's not exactly the same, and Ukraine can't provide all the same services the USA can, but still, our system is pretty borked. I'm pretty sure it's getting to get even more borked.

[akdiver 3]

Russians don't want to have a monthly bill but would rather pre-pay for usage. That's because they can usually only afford to spend $20/month on a cellphone instead of $120 for an unlimited data plan. You can't get diddily squat for $20/month in America.

I used AT&T go phone service, and I spend less than $10/month for cell phone service.

Wife says Russia is way better for cell phone stuff - thinks America is lame.

Do you include yourself in that perception...or are you special?

Of course I do.

[akdiver 3]

For instance, peanut butter. I really thought she would love it, but she could care less.More astonishing, she hates pancakes and maple syrup! What?? How is this possible? She not only dislikes it, but seems offended by the taste and smell of the syrup. Has this happened to anyone else, or is it just my crazy wife??

I can't stand peanut butter, maple syrup, or pancakes either. I don't even want to be at the same table with syrup - I think it is disgusting.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I feel strange posting an on-topic reply, after this thread has gone so horribly awry.

Nevertheless, here goes...

As discussed earlier in the thread (when it was actually on topic), my wife has also discovered many new things, wonderful and amazing. However, there were a couple of things I really thought she WOULD find amazing, yet she DOES NOT.

For instance, peanut butter. I really thought she would love it, but she could care less.

More astonishing, she hates pancakes and maple syrup! What?? How is this possible? She not only dislikes it, but seems offended by the taste and smell of the syrup. Has this happened to anyone else, or is it just my crazy wife??

You hit on something with the "maple syrup". I was asked to bring a bottle of it with me the first time I went to Belarus for the fact the wife (before we were married) had never tried it. The maple syrup was a real big hit there...like super big. I had never had Belarusian pancakes before (blemy's) and I like them a lot better than the pancakes we have here in the US. Maple syrup with Belarusian pancakes is a match made in heaven imo. So when I went to Belarus the last time, I brought seven bottles of maple syrup with me seeing how everyone in her family wanted some. I should have brought a jar of peanut butter with me to see how that went over....but it never crossed my mind at the time.

[Martyshk 137]

US roads are great, except Boston, MA and Belmont, MA

Philly roads are horrible.

Actually, we are lightyears behind other countries when it comes to road quality

[akdiver 3]

Philly roads are horrible.

Actually, we are lightyears behind other countries when it comes to road quality

Bah, we've got you ALL beat.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11697885

Thursday, December 17, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska has the worst highway system in the nation, according to a new report from a California-based research group.

The report says the problems are in maintenance, bridge deficiencies and fatalities.

The Reason Foundation says the roads have steadily been getting worse as the years go by.

Many drivers agree.

"I think the highways are horrible; I won't even drive on them…they're curvy, there's not enough room, the semi trucks. They're horrible," said Paula Jones, an Anchorage driver.

The report says the roads are old and in need of upgrades. Bridges are past their prime and almost all areas are unsafe, especially major highways that lead into cities.

"The fatality rate for Alaska-- this is 2008 data-- it was 1.63. The national average is 1.35 so it's considerably higher than the national average," said David Hartgen with the Reason Foundation.

Other drivers agree the roads need work, but say to blame Mother Nature for the problems.

"I think they need to have better maintenance, maybe take a look at changing the budget and re-evaluating the way they do snow removal along these roads," said Dean Paul, an Anchorage driver.

Still other people say the problems aren't as dramatic as the report suggests.

"It's not bad. I don't think it's bad. Only in the winter where you go 5 miles an hour for two hours, but… I can't complain. It moves along just fine," said Jennifer Seetomona.

The Department of Transportation did not return phone calls Thursday.

Edited December 25, 2009 by akdiver

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Bah, we've got you ALL beat.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11697885

Most of those fatalities were on the Seward Highway....during this summer. People feel the need to pass on that highway no matter what the cost. I'm sure you already know this though seeing how we both live in Alaska. tbh I haven't seen these crappy highways that's in that report. Seward highway is decent enough as long as you don't try to pass on corners, or when there's on coming traffic....or even better yet when these idiots try to pass several cars/trucks/motor homes/r-v's/etc.... The Glen highway is decent enough, can't really see too much problems with the Parks other than the bottle neck from Wasilla to Big Lake. And yes we do have frost heaves up here.