Back in the Good Ol' USA

Since arriving in the United States two weeks ago, a few things have stood out to us - some things we like, some we don't, and some are just different....

1.  What’s with all the English?

We’ve grown used to the conversations around us simply being background noise.  Now that we’re back in the United States we can understand everything going on around us; it’s kind of annoying (airports and planes are the worst).

     2.  Parking spaces are huge.

     3.  Meals are fast.

To the French, dining is not just a means of survival, but it’s an experience.  Even while we have enjoyed sitting around the table with our family, our meals last an hour or less; that may just be long enough for the first course in France.

4.  Bread is more expensive (but that’s probably the only thing).

How much does a baguette cost in France?  1 Euro ($1.33).  The other day we paid $2.99.

5.  There is a high value on customer service.

This has it’s pros and its cons.  For example, we ate at a restaurant that a good friend recommended the other night.  We’d never been there before, but the waitress was excellent; she helped us know how much pizza we needed to order, what size salad, and kept our water glasses full.  On the other hand, while we were shopping (which we’ve done a lot of – refer to #4), some of the clerks were a little overbearing.  Perhaps we’d just like to look around, without having someone ask, “Are you OK?  Can I help you with something?”