moving to america

[Kinito_2k3 5]

I have the issue the other way around Being from the south of France in Bordeaux, 4pm means 5pm - 7pm to me it drives my lovely wife crazy!! Can't help it

[venusfire503 54]

I continue to have to UNLOAD the dishwasher, scrub the silverware, reload everything so that there's a fighting chance of its becoming clean, and empty the thing the next morning, si man.

Yep - got this one too.....

venusfire

[venusfire503 54]

As mentioned, uncovered foods in refrigerator and food sitting out all day, when she cooks it is usually early afternoon even though I may not get home till 7 or 8.

Air conditioning, better now but at first she would leave the doors open while the AC was on.

Sliding glass doors-------need I say more

YES!!!! When its nice outside, hubby will turn the A/C on in the car, then roll the windows down. I want to shake him every time he does it. I've explained it a million times. I always remind him to do one or the other not both. I'm getting tired. Maybe when winter comes I will turn the heat on and roll the windows down.

We didn't have that exact problem, but it took a while for him to adjust to heat and A/C. At first, he complained it gave him headaches, so we had to do without in the car - but had to blast both at home. The bills.... YIKES! Then he decided it was a good idea in the car, so I was always too hot in the winter and too cold in the summer. Oh well. Then there was the fact that he would wear summer clothes in the house in winter and insist on turning the heat up. I SO felt like my mom/dad/grandparents telling him "if you're cold, put some clothes on". He finally realized the difference it made in the utility bills....it's good now.

venusfire

[natty bumppo 289]

Ok, after just reading through the "Moving to America" thread, which seems to mostly address the now spouse who arrived from abroad, I would love to see a thread about the challenges of adjusting to the person who is adjusting to the US and us!!!! As many of you can probably attest, it can be a bit hard to keep up the sympathetic, caring side after a while, but letting some of our close friends or family know that may not be a good idea--

well you better **'em ... might help to keep your mind on the positive side of things.

[reeses16 8]

Ah -- and here is something else -- dig what they eat in Ecuador, and likely elsewhere in South America: http://noqinecuador.blogspot.com/2006/04/cuy.html

Here, we do not eat our PETS!

Speaking of pets, who else has found that the foreign spouse has a hard time comprehending that pets are more than just animals to us USCs? Here, the wife was stunned to come across a copy of "Cat Fancy" magazine, and she reported this amazing discovery to her entire family: "They have a magazine devoted just to CATS! And they advertise all of these products for them!"

I showed her this -- http://www.catnippizza.com/ -- and she still shakes her head regarding the electronic litterbox, si man.

My hubby is cool about the pet thing. He had pets (dog, cat, birds) when he was a kid, his favorite was the dog. It is a little strange to him (and me too!) that in Seattle people take their pets everywhere- Starbucks, Barnes and Nobles, the bus (I thought there were rules against this!) I've never seen anything quite like this before. He was also surprise by how expensive veterinary care is in the US.

[NatPatBen 3]

Loving these stories, everyone. Thanks for sharing.

I look forward to sharing our adjustment story... if our petition EVER gets approved.

[NatPatBen 3]

Another road fun fact - U.S. Interstate system - Even number routes run east-west; odd number routes run north-south. The interstates start at I-10 across the southern USA and go up (I-20, I-40, I-70, I-80, etc get progressively further north). Those that have subsequently been added fall in between (I-16, I-74, etc). Similarly, I-95 is east coast running north-south; I-5 is west coast.

Also, loops around cities and spurs/connectors will be three digits with the last 2 digits being from one of the through interstates. Loops will begin with even numbers (such as I-240, I-485, I-285, etc.); spurs will begin with odd numbers (I-516, I-185, etc).

More info here:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.cfm

US Highways also have a similar nomenclature, but I can't remember it all.

Thank you SO MUCH for this post! I need to give a speech in 2 weeks on some topic I've researched & have been struggling to think of one. This looks like just the topic!

[TBoneTX 44,679]

He was also surprise by how expensive veterinary care is in the US.

Si, man -- it's an entire industry. And don't get started on how animals (dogs, cats) are allowed to run loose outside in the home country.

[thatbritishlass 2]

Sorry. Around here, 4pm means "Tuesday-ish, maybe."

Time-wise, I also find it funny how I will say 'quarter past 8' instead of 'quarter after 8' and 'quarter to 9' instead of 'quarter till 9' - it's a one syllable difference and still noone understands me!! LOL

Fortunately my other half works for a company where if you are literally one minute late clocking in you get a point on your record card, so his punctuality is relatively good

[Gemmie 142]

Si, man -- it's an entire industry. And don't get started on how animals (dogs, cats) are allowed to run loose outside in the home country.

Yeah, we've had our fair share of arguments about that. It's normal to let your cat run freely in England. Not so much over there, but we Brits think it cruel to keep them locked up.

Also with the time.

What's this "quarter of 9" thing? OF? OF? That implies it's 15 minutes of the hour of 9 (9:15), not 8:45!

[Kar98 0]

I hate people letting their cats and dogs run around loose on their own accord. To begin with they always get run over. Nice for the buzzards though. And I don't like the thought of the local bird population being decimated by free roaming cats. Then of course there's the issue of the neighbors' freaking cat scouring the sh¡t out of my car's paint and leaving paw prints and hair all over it. I don't hate cats per se, but I like _my_ car more than _other people's_ pets.

Time? I gave up and just read out what the wrist watch says. Let _them_ figure out what sixteen thirty means.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Kar98

[TBoneTX 44,679]

there's the issue of the neighbors' freaking cat scouring the sh¡t out of my car's paint and leaving paw prints and hair all over it.

Cats like to conquer things, which is why they jump to heights. Mine likes the top of the refrigerator, si man.

Regarding time: We were invited to a party at an Ecuadorian couple's home locally. I asked what time; the wife said "6:00." That time came & went, and I was going loco -- "We're late!" She said, "Don't worry about it; Ecuadorians show up when they want to." We arrived around 6:45 and were among the first there. I was a lot less hyper regarding a second invitation there, weeks later. Conversely, the wife gets uptight with the seemingly inflexible restrictions on attending U.S. functions -- 6:00 means 6:00. Fortunately, she was already at least intellectually familiar with the concept of "al punto" -- being "on point" or on time to the minute.

New "adjustment to foreign spouse" item: I have been informed that, when an Ecuadorian overimbibes and passes out on the bathroom floor, it is overkill to phone the "bomberos" (Fire Dept.) to come over and lift the inebriated one into bed. The 100% consensus is simply to throw a blanket over the subject and let him/her recover naturally. I view that as rather callous, but if it's the way in which they do it, perhaps it's OK. Thoughts, si man?

[Kar98 0]

New "adjustment to foreign spouse" item: I have been informed that, when an Ecuadorian overimbibes and passes out on the bathroom floor, it is overkill to phone the "bomberos" (Fire Dept.) to come over and lift the inebriated one into bed. The 100% consensus is simply to throw a blanket over the subject and let him/her recover naturally. I view that as rather callous, but if it's the way in which they do it, perhaps it's OK. Thoughts, si man?

Just make sure the air ways are clear and unobstructed and throw a blanket over the subject.

[Wyld Blu 35]

Oh..I would have no problem with my fiance saying, "Quarter past" or "Quarter of.." but see, in Holland they are on a 24 hour clock. Don't even get me started on trying to figure out when 1600 is. They don't do am/pm there. He says it is less confusing...hmmm....not to me! I mean, if I think about it, I can figure out the conversion...really not hard, but if you aren't use to that it can make ya stop a sec.

-Blu-(currently residing in the State of Confusion)

[Ed+Cindy 1]

Oh..I would have no problem with my fiance saying, "Quarter past" or "Quarter of.." but see, in Holland they are on a 24 hour clock. Don't even get me started on trying to figure out when 1600 is. They don't do am/pm there. He says it is less confusing...hmmm....not to me! I mean, if I think about it, I can figure out the conversion...really not hard, but if you aren't use to that it can make ya stop a sec.

-Blu-(currently residing in the State of Confusion)

You get used to the 24hr clock. I (USC) lived in France for a while and actually think the 24hr is better (after I got used to it).