USA 2nd time

My second stay in the US surprisingly keeps changing my attitude to this country. Last year I was impressed so much by the nature and by everything what makes the US that what it is, but at the same time I was disappointed with all those things that make the US so unfriendly and anonymous. One of the reasons was definitely my first impression, which I made in Chicago. This industrial city, second fattest in whole country, so dirty around the Loop and full of dangerous districts occupied by Hispanics, Mexicans and afroamericans was great to find out how do the US really look like, but couldn`t make me feel wanting to spend more than those ten days there. It was really that what I expected from all those movies and it was fun to experience that personally, but it also made me considering the US as an unfriendly country, where only money counts and where`s no space for anything else. I haven`t felt the same in much bigger New York neither in San Francisco last year, but the first impression was too strong and the rest of my stay didn`t change my opinion.

But Manchester and whole New England brought me another surprise. I arrived with the same idea, thinking about a summer that could bring me nothing else but some money, improving my English skill or experience of living on my own. The more I was surprised after a month. Although it`s difficult to judge it objectively because all those bad things like working 60 hours in one week while frizzling on the sun in 100 degrees and eating pizza three times a week are usually very fast forgotten and only good memories remain.

The city is much different from those we`ve learned last year. Although it`s the largest city of New Hampshire it`s not too busy, reaching from the slow flowing river Merrimack up to the hills on the east. One hour of driving far from White mountains, it`s one hour to Hampton beach on the seacoast and the same distance south to Boston. Cities, nature..everything much more european than what I`ve seen before. But the biggest diference is probably the friendliness of most of the people. Of course we`ve met many exceptions but I was surprised and it took me a long time to believe that it`s really not predicted. Most of the people are mostly purely happy when they see us in the bank, café, at the gas station, even while shopping in a supermarket..and of course in a pub. Everybody`s smiling all the time, ready to talk and frankly interested in one`s problems. Maybe local relationships are not to so developed like in our neighbourhoods and villages, but the feeling, that you can be sure you`ll be treated like an old friend by almost everyone you`ll meet is really very nice. It`s even kind of strange for someone who is not used to to see the courtesy of most of the people. It starts on the street where it usually looks like a contest where people try to let as many cars as possible to overtake them, take a turn or pull out ahead in their lane. When you look like being lost on street or anywhere, you can be sure there`s gonna be someone in a minute to ask you and help you to find what you are looking for. And the same anywhere else, you just won`t be refused when need help. Vice versa, the help will probably be offered to you sooner before you`ll request it:)

This evaluation is maybe too positive, of course there are things that disappointed me and they are reasons why am i looking forward home and in addition, my stay isn`t over yet so there could many things happen. The main difference that influenced me at most of course is meeting all the people that we didn`t have an opportunity to meet last year and it`s really nice to feel like home so far away after not whole two months of living.

© td 08.19.2006