Six things for which I adore America

When I moved to the USA, all my friends unanimously said that my husband and I wouldn’t want to go back, because it was sooo cool there. I still couldn’t understand what was so cool in this America that wasn’t in my beloved St. Petersburg.

Now two years have passed since the move, but I tasted all the delights of life in California much earlier. And now I can also say with confidence that it’s “so cool!” Why? Read below.

People

I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase that all Americans have fake smiles. Have you heard this opinion? Me too. As for me, it's complete bullshit. What does a fake smile mean? Does someone stick needles under their nails every time to make them smile? Of course not. Or do you expect that behind this smile there should be friendship until the grave? Or maybe, after smiling, a random passer-by will immediately give you the key to the safe on a silver platter? A smile is just a smile.

And I love these smiles! And all these “hi, how are you?”, “you look great,” “have a nice day!” It would seem like meaningless words, sometimes thrown out on the run, but how nice it is to receive them addressed to you. And it’s even more pleasant to say it yourself, from the heart, without any ounce of falsehood. I have become so brave here that I can give a compliment to anyone and not worry that he will look at me askance or call the police.

In general, in my opinion, the most friendly and friendly people live in the USA. Frowning beeches are also found here, but there are very few of them. Or maybe I'm lucky. One day in winter I was walking with a stroller along Lake Tahoe. I was about to cross the road, but the stroller got stuck in the snow. I do it this way and that - it doesn’t go. And then a black jeep stops in front of me, a man runs out of it and helps me pull out the stroller. Am I amazed? Certainly!

Or I’m walking along a deserted street. I hear someone shouting something to someone. I move on, but the screaming does not stop. I turn my head to the sidewalk on the other side of the street and suddenly realize that they are shouting at me. Some woman admires my skirt and shouts compliments to me. Can you imagine this? I had to shout back “thank you” and tell her that I sewed the skirt myself.

And how many compliments and good wishes my children receive! It's generally something with something. A hundred times a day they hear “oh, how pretty”, “wow, what huge eyes!” and so on. By the time they are ten months old, they are already swimming in an ocean of praises.

All for these very people

In California, the feeling that no matter where I came, everything was taken care of me.

I come to the park, there is parking, a free toilet with toilet paper, and drinking water fountains. Do you want to make a barbecue? There’s already a grill - public and free, just have time to put meat on it. Forgot your firewood? It doesn’t matter, even in the most remote place of the national park there will be a mountain of firewood and next to it a box in which you will need to put money for the firewood.

Do you want to refinance your car loan? No problem - you don’t need to go anywhere, just send us scans of all the papers by email, and the reduced interest rate is in your pocket.

And if suddenly, on the road from the next trip, a stone hit your windshield, just call us and we will come to you to fix it. Yes, yes, again you do not need to go anywhere and waste your time. We will change the glass right in the parking lot at your office while you eat lunch.

Have you heard about ATMs that you don’t need to get out of the car? Not only is it super-easy, it is also safe. And if you are a mother with two children and you urgently need cash? Yes, on such ATMs need to pray.

Service level

I really love St. Petersburg, where I lived, but I got the strong impression that every cashier there considers himself the most important person on the planet. Not to mention the cleaners who are sure that customers only come to the store to clean things up. Here, in any supermarket or cafe, in a hospital or a car dealership, they are ready to lick you from head to toe. And although I don’t like other people’s drool, receiving high-quality service for honestly earned money is the norm in the USA, not the exception.

Take a simple example. In the shoe store you decided to try on shoes. Summer is in the yard, and you do not have any nylon socks with you. What will happen in Russia? They will indicate to you in a barking tone that it is impossible to measure without marks. Here, at the places of fitting, there is simply a special box with the tracks.

Returning goods is generally the easiest procedure, for which you do not need a passport or a written application. You just come and rent. And this can be done in most stores within 90 days.

And my favorite moment is the state post office. Postal service plays a big role in the lives of Americans. Bank cards, passports, driver's licenses, and car license plates are sent by mail. And the parcels are simply left at the door to the apartment, without even calling it. At the door to the apartment. There is no need to go anywhere and stand in kilometer-long queues. You can send letters and postcards without leaving your home - mailboxes have a special “outgoing correspondence” window - you just drop the letter there and it will fly to the addressee. Comfortable? Yes, simply brilliant.

In the US, they definitely know what is customer focus and loyalty.

Products

I love local grocery stores and markets. A million different types of vegetables and fruits - all of excellent quality and at reasonable prices. Prices are a completely separate issue. Just recently I was just thinking about how prices have changed over the two years that we have been living here. It turns out that some products have not changed at all. Cherry tomatoes cost $4.99 two years ago and cost the same now. Cherries were sold in the 2014 season for $9.99 per two pounds, and this year you can buy them for the same price.

Local meat, especially beef, deserves special praise. We almost didn’t buy beef in St. Petersburg - it was more like rubber soles, no matter how you fry it, cook it. Here we eat exclusively beef meat - steaks and beefsteaks are made in five minutes and they turn out finger-licking good. Now we only make kebabs from pork in the Russian style.

Non-barrier environment

For my attitude towards people with disabilities alone, I am ready to sing odes to the USA without stopping. This category of the population does not survive, but lives a full life - walks, goes shopping, uses public transport, can attend cinemas, exhibitions, concerts.

Here, on the parking spaces for disabled people, those who have the corresponding badge on the car really park. Many buildings (shopping centers, hospitals, business centers, restaurants, etc.) are equipped with a button, with the help of which the doors open automatically.

All sidewalks are equipped with a special descent, allowing unhindered movement along the streets, and approaches to buildings are equipped with ramps. This moment is also very pleasant if you are a mother whose child rides in a stroller. Walking for you does not become a test of overcoming obstacles. Moreover, as a mother of twins, who has a far from narrow stroller as a means of transport for children, I can note that in nine months I have never had any difficulties getting into any building or elevator.

The ability to travel

I am very sorry that at the time of my stay in Russia, the level of tourism in the country was in its infancy, and even a trip to a city 300 km from St. Petersburg looked more like a quest for survival - to overcome a broken highway, spend the night in a hotel with cockroaches and bedbugs, and not get poisoned in local restaurant. In the USA, highways and small roads are of excellent quality. And although there is often almost no lighting on the highway in the form of lanterns, the markings on the road are made perfectly and it is safe to drive even late at night.

Throughout all the tracks there are recreation areas where there are free clean toilets with toilet paper, free fountains with drinking water, tables with benches for snacking.

A night in a hotel anywhere usually costs $100-150 - for this money you can always find a normal hotel with a swimming pool. Bank cards are accepted for payment everywhere - you don’t need to think about withdrawing cash; Tips are also debited from the card.

And American nature deserves a separate post - in the USA you can find mountains, deserts, steppes, forests, and canyons similar to other planets. We go somewhere every weekend and can't get enough of each other.

Are there any disadvantages for me in the USA? Certainly! Be realistic, there are no perfect countries - each has its pros and cons. For example, it is almost impossible to swim in the Pacific Ocean in Northern California. The water here is on average 14 degrees. I can’t even put my feet in such icy water. What about the prices for renting or buying real estate? This is just complete ruin!

But for me and my family there are a lot more advantages here. And no matter how we sometimes missed the family and the spirit of St. Petersburg, now our home is here. And we are here very well.

See also:

From the first person. 7 things that annoy me in the US

From the first person. 6 tips for economical shopping in the US

Personal experience: Russian woman on the work of children's doctors in the United States

How to plan for childbirth in America: step by step instructions

Personal experience. How to avoid mistakes when renting a home in the US

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