Personal experience: what we heard about America and were not afraid to ask
'23.04.2019'
There are a lot of questions and small things that are always interesting to people (and I was interested in, and questions are often asked), I will try to collect the most popular and answer them as it seems to me, as I see it. And to post was not boring, diluted it with photos of local species.
1. Is it hard to move?
As for me, it's harder to decide. Then you just get on such a roller coaster, which rushes you along the route, you need to catch everything and understand everything. Why the comparison with the attraction? Because events flash very quickly, and much needs to be done, passing along any sort of challenging difficulties associated with the language, and you just put a tick in your ToDo list. As soon as you reach the level of completed missions, it is as if you are entering your own rut, and it seems that you have been here for a very long time.
2. Do you miss your country? Do you regret it?
Sorry that the answer may disappoint someone, but no! I only miss people in this country. NO, there was never such a thought.
3. Is it true that Americans are constantly smiling and asking how are you?
True. Smiles are not artificial at all, everything is natural. I noticed that I myself began to smile more often. But the question: "How are you?" and all its derivatives still take me by surprise. I say to myself, going to the checkout: “Get it together! Now they will ask how you are doing, ”but I still get lost. When I ask in response, sometimes I hear a short story about how things really are, or jokes on this topic, for example: “How can I have business in this weather? More like spring! ”.
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- Personal experience: what to take with you when moving to the USA
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4. Small Talks (small conversations with strangers): are they really so common?
Yes, this is a very popular thing here. With a stranger, you can easily start a dialogue about anything, it is easy to communicate here. I like it, primarily because of the language, the opportunities to learn another culture, and in general it is interesting to communicate. I will not hide, sometimes it can strain, it happened. But more often the opposite.
5. Is it true that there is no central heating?
We are talking, of course, about apartments. It happens that there is no such concept at all. In our apartment, the rooms are equipped with devices such as large air conditioners (in fact, they are), they are capable of cooling and heating. Whether to turn them on or not, and when to turn them on is your personal concern. This is unusual, it is difficult to put it right in your head, but after a while it seems much more convenient.
6. How are you treated here?
Perfectly! There has never been a situation with rudeness or rudeness. If you say where you're from, it causes genuine interest, they ask a lot of questions, they are interested. Everyone wishes good luck in a new place and express hope that we like it here.
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7. How is your tongue?
To summarize, it is “difficult, but possible”. The main difficulties: talking on the phone, dictating information, this is often due to the fact that it is necessary to dictate letters, tying them to words. For example, the word RIVER should be dictated as follows: R - Rick, I - Ice, V - Victory, E - Elen, R-Rick. It's hard to figure out. It is easier orally, as a rule, all difficulties pass without nerves on both sides, without rudeness - and everything is decided in the end, everyone smiles. I sometimes say, “Thank you for your patience,” and the person, as a rule, generally melts away. We specially took a TV set to watch local programs and movies, it really helps us to “pump” our perception, it helps a lot. We also read the local newspaper, well, and you can't avoid opportunities to communicate with people.
8. Is it true that medicine is paid?
True, insurance must be mandatory. A good employer covers most of the payments, and this is not as scary as it seems. The pros and cons of paid medicine are different for everyone. In my opinion, the advantages are in its quality and choice, in addition, insurance covers all prescription drugs. If a doctor has prescribed a medicine for you, you go to your local pharmacy, tell them who you are, and they will give you the medicine for free (or with some small co-payment) - the medicine is covered by insurance. You can write a separate post about all the features, there are a lot of them on the Internet.
9. Is it true that in America there are few holidays?
Less (slightly) than in Russia, but they are so scattered that you do not have time to wonder what - again?
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Original published in personal blog Nina Zotova JERSEY'S LIFE - LIFE IN NEW JERSEY