This is not going to be a normal blog, Paul is going to help. I will do a catch up one in a few days time. This is going to be a post on what we have noticed so far.....
Travel - EVERYONE has a car, you need a car, but there are some sorry excuses for cars on the road..... Loads of people use mobiles while driving, but there is a big advertising push to try and stop this. You can turn right on red lights at most junctions. We are yet to take our South Carolina driving tests, we still have 2 months in which we can drive on our UK driving licences. Some of the roads are a state. Overtaking on the inside is allowed. The interstates when they are busy are BUSY. General driving standards are very poor, lots of running reds, you have to look when you come out of a junction on green. Big rigs, are BIG.
T.V - too many adverts, same with the radio. I have found a few good tv channels, abc, NBC. There are only 4 kids tv channels with our provider (Charter). No Cbeebies, although some programmes are available on Nickalodeon and Disney. Lots of on demand programmes and films, so the boys can watch many of their favourites often. They have Lego cartoons, which the boys love. They are being influenced by adverts though...... Different networks have different political agendas. Watching football in the morning is different, we get at least one Premier League game on a Saturday. Haven't found the cooking channels yet, but haven't really looked. In the adverts, they would rather show the bad points of their competitors than show their own products. It is best to watch on playback, so you can skip the adverts.
Food - we are eating out at least once a week, was more frequent to begin, but have reigned it in. Paul regularly eats out for lunch. Cooking is interesting, trying to find ingredients that were everyday back home are very hard to find. We have found a few places that sell products from home, so we have Yorkshire tea and Bisto gravy. Everything tasted so sweet, because they add sugar to pretty much everything. I must get more baking utensils, so I can start making cookies and cakes again. I wouldn't mind a bread maker, as their loaves are much smaller. Loving the coffee machine though.....but missing squash. We have found a beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon, which is fairly nice. Imported beer is expensive, as you can imagine.
Weather - so far so good!!! Just starting to get cold, having a cold snap at the moment, temperatures are meant to improve next week. Previously it had been in the low 20's in the day still. Not much rain, but when it comes down it really rains....
Shopping - probably deserves a post of its own!!!! After the mammoth task of stocking our house, we are done with most of the big things, mainly thanks to ikea. Most rooms are sorted, we are just picking up bits and pieces when we see them. Food shopping is interesting, I have tried Walmart, Publix and Bi-Lo so far. Bi-Lo is very local, and probably a bit like Sainsburys. Publix is a more upmarket version of Tesco, and Walmart is Asda. Only really do Walmart if I need extras, not just food. Going to try and do big shops at Publix, it seems a tiny bit cheaper the Bi-Lo. The boys like Bi-Lo as it has the car trolleys, so they are always well behaved when we go shopping there. The mall is interesting, some of the shops are quite expensive, but some are very good. I need to go there with just me and Seb, so I can take it all in a bit better. I have a trip there planned for next week, spotted some good Christmas presents on JCPenneys at the weekend. Best Buy is a big electrical store, we have spent far too much money in there. Toys r us is just like at home. World Market is fab, if a little pricey. They sell lots of home ware and 'world' food. K-Mart is ok, a bit like a department store, as is Target. Costco is a big wholesale merchant. We have paid for membership, they have many bargains, especially on toys. Am going tomorrow to stock up on many different things
Medical - having a bit of a hate/hate relationship with this. They love to keep you waiting. The receptionists at our doctors are just as useless as at Westcourtt. The boys are registered, and their immunisation records have already gone to school. When I registered they did my blood sugars, and they were high, so I need to see the endocrinologist, and have a physical and lots of tests done. This is going to take at least an hour. Luckily the doctor is available till 8pm, so that is my fun in a few weeks time. I am preparing myself for a lecture.
General - everyone has massive drinks cups with them, most drink refills are free. Our road seems really nice, even if no one knows where it is. Wearer loving our house, but there is still lots of reverb, the boys are sending is deaf.... I am up and out of the house within an hour, not loving the getting up at 6.30am. Loving my car and its sat-nav, and the rice of fuel.....cat is happy, Kees getting shut in kitchen cupboards. Skype is great, though the time difference is not. Loving the tumble dryer....enjoying meeting lots of people from lots of different back grounds.
As time goes on, we will have more of these, so we will try and do an observations post every couple of months.
Hope all is ok with everyone reading x
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