Personal experience: 10 things I miss when I move to America

Journalist and blogger Ira Goldman (28) told Ledy. Mail.ru that feeds her nostalgia at home.

A little more than a year has passed since my husband and our husky Space moved to America, to San Francisco. Many believe that I got into a fairy tale, and I will not argue with that. But in any fairy tale there are difficulties that the main characters need to overcome. Here is my personal list of what I’m missing in America and why I miss it so much.

By whining

It seems that Americans can not live a second without demonstrating their perfect smile in the 32 tooth. But sometimes I just want to go through the store or the street with a sour mine. Well, I like it. And frankly, terribly enraged when every second passer-by considers it his duty to ask if everything is alright with me.

But the most surprising thing is, if you honestly tell him about the problems, he will look at me like he is crazy. In America, there is an unspoken law: do not complain about life.

Once I was very worried that my account was hacked into Instagram, and decided to tell the middle-aged redhead neighbor about it. He listened attentively for a couple of minutes, and then apologized and said that he forgot to turn off the kettle and was ready to chat with me some other time. Since then, he avoided meeting and the bullet disappeared from my sight, it was enough for us to be on the street at the same time. Not so long ago, I moved to another house.

This case taught me: if you want to ponyt, call the Russian girlfriend.

Poppy breakfast

You would never guess what I was doing first thing when I come to Russia! On the first morning I set the alarm on 8 in the morning, in order not to over-sleep the mac-breakfast. Contrary to the fact that America can rightly be considered the birthplace of fast food, the food at the local McDonald's is simply disgusting. Not only are they looking at me like an alien, when I ask you to put me a couple of cheese sauces in a package, eating fresh juice macmaffin is simply impossible.

By changing seasons

By inexpensive communal and removable shower handle

Do you often wash in the shower, fixing it in a position near the ceiling and not grasping the handle? I bet there isn't. But I have to wash like this every day. In 80% of US homes and hotels, a shower head is tightly attached to the wall. And although I used to wash my hair once every two days, now I have to do it every day - I had to wash thoroughly, without wetting my hair, so far I could not.

Now I understand why many of the American films feature a shower cap. I myself now have a couple of these.

By the way, about utilities. Living in Russia, I often grumbled when I had to pay for them. But now I understand how cheap it was. 700 $ for water and electricity - once a month I gently tear my hair and I am glad that there is no bath in my house. Maybe this is for the better: I’m covered with cold sweat when I bill for my little weekly female weakness, and I can’t imagine what it is like to save money to thoroughly soak and foam foam bubbles.

But I have developed a new good habit - I constantly turn off the light and save electricity in all possible ways.

By fast driving

On the shelves of my closet in my parents' house, a couple of racing cups proudly gather dust, and my driving style used to be described with one simple phrase: “What Russian doesn’t like to drive fast.” After a fine in 600 $ for speeding the question: “Ira, how are you successful in your racing career?” I have a clear answer: “It is in the past.”

Each subsequent offense of mine was punished with a slightly less significant amount. Now they are not at all, as well as my crown "pumping with the wind." For unpaid fine and an attempt to "agree on the spot" here you can put in jail.

The smell of washing powder

If you are one of those who like things to smell "nothing" after washing, you urgently need to go to America. Alpine meadow-scented powder, a lavender-inspired conditioner and spicy cloths for drying clothes — something I haven’t tried to achieve my favorite fragrance of clean linen. Does not work! But it is precisely this smell that I associate with my mother and home.

But we, by the way, are still very lucky: in most American homes and apartments, personal washing machines are a luxury.

Public laundries are part of American life. Spending hours waiting for linen is a very boring job, and the smell, forgotten socks and human hair inside the drum are a sight worthy of a horror movie.

No need to count taxes

Every citizen of the United States must watch his taxes independently and once a year say goodbye to a round sum of up to 40 percent of annual profits. Fortunately, I still can not work legally in America: my O-3 visa does not give such a right, and I have not yet turned into Koshchey, withering over the proceeds.

In Russia, the employer paid me a tax, I never thought about how much I give to the state every month. Very soon, my husband will have to fill out a declaration on his own, and I'm already worried that this new year will remain without a gift.

I still can’t get used to the fact that not only a tax should be added to the prices in the menu, the amount of which you can find out only at the box office, but also tips. Plus 20% of the final amount will have to pay the waiter. And this, I tell you, dollars 20, if you decide to have dinner together. Now we almost always eat at home, and I love to remember 100 — 200 rubles, which we added to the bill with a calm soul after payment.

By "female privileges"

If I decided to leave the cafe before my husband, I just have to start getting ready, how the waiter will bring the bill with the question of how to divide it. In America, it is considered normal to divide the amount equally between a man and a woman, regardless of whether you are dating, married, or just friends.

I am not an ardent supporter of feminism and I will tell you honestly - I’m a little annoyed that women here are depriving themselves of the right to be weak. Men seldom open the door for girls and push up a chair - such a display of care from the stronger sex can be regarded by some as sexual harassment.

I almost put up with it, but I am grateful to the fate that total patriarchy reigns in our family. I really like to feel like a stone wall and unquestioningly obey my protector.

By high-quality manicure

For the first six months of my life in America, I wanted to save money to pay for my airline manicure every month! I am not kidding!

Firstly, in America, trimming manicure is prohibited, and secondly, if you get nail polish in the salon of the master clearly on the nail plate - this is a great success. After my first visit to the salon, I rubbed red lacquer off my elbow and wrist for a long time. These were the most unfavorable 50 bucks I spent in the USA. Although no, $ 60 for a pedicure and new jeans to replace those with which the varnish did not wash off - this is my most unprofitable purchase.

“Ira, why didn’t you go to Russian girls?” You ask. The queue to the master from Ukraine in the vicinity of San Francisco, I waited a month, and then she fell ill, and I had to wait another 2 week. Then I had urgent business, and my record was lost among others. It's good that we moved to Los Angeles, and in a couple of days my nails will finally get a human look. Anyway, I really hope so.

Of course, there were a lot of minuses, but they are more than covered by pluses.

I like living in a country where they honor laws and respect nature. I like the English language and the ability of Americans to delve into the chosen field of knowledge and become an expert in it. I love to wake up from the singing of birds and watch squirrels play in the park across the street. But most of all I like the fact that I gradually regret to complain about life and learn to look for only the best in everything!

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