CHICAGO POE EXPERIENCE and the story in the US

[Captain Oates 911]

Welcome to the United States of America, Alan!

Thanks chucky I am loving it this time...

All these huge roads and parking spaces and I go to the mailbox 30 yards down the road in my slippers with all the squirrels and lizards running along - its great...

There are some bad dudes here too - 4 of em in an old battered car made a lurch at me tonight but I know about that insurance fiddle etc so I got out of the way quickly.

My wife got her driver's license and they said they could register her to vote at the same time - they insisted she tells

them which party she votes for ! It goes on the registration record !

Then the woman in the bank who opened our account asked which church she went to !

I am really naughty and I would have said I was a black belt satanist just to wind her up and as for who i would vote for if I could - I would say 'screaming lord Such ' but they wouldn't have a check box for him so I couldn't register

Carolyn predicts I will be shot before Christmas but its all very interesting. I know I have to go with the flow on these culture differences and fighting it would be like trying to tell the Chinese why it's a bad idea to bind girls feet.

When Carolyn's brother asked about my religion I told him I came from England which is in reality a 'post religious society' and he is still trying to figure it out... He thinks its something like the Amish I reckon...

[Welshcookie 17]

Welcome to the United States of America, Alan!

Thanks chucky I am loving it this time...

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The big question is, have you found an authentic duvet and electric kettle?

[trailmix 77]

Hey Alan,

Glad to hear you made it there all safe and sound and that you are mostly enjoying yourself!

[Captain Oates 911]

The big question is, have you found an authentic duvet and electric kettle?

Good news - too hot for a duvet and we put the kettle in store in Wisconsin so I hauled it 1300 miles south in a truck and

I just used it for some wonderful instant nescafe original !

Life isn't all roses but America is going to be ok as long as I don't talk politics or religion

A world of strange contrasts - the mail boxes for parcels are in the street with keys hanging out of them - when i get a parcel they lock it and put the keys in my regular mail box

Those keys would not last 10 minutes in england - but then half a mile away there are people who would kill me for 50 dollars

A land of huge contrasts encapsulating the best and the worst. A land of great extremes of climate and religions and politics and everything else. Very interesting and very safe and very dangerous.

There is no such life experience as 'living in America' - its a million different experiences depending on who you are and what you are and where you are and what you believe. Same as England but hugely magnified.

Hum - I still think I will stay just for the stimulation at least

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Great to hear more from the ongoing tales of Saywhat. And now - new topics outside of immigration!! Most entertaining

[Jigi 0]

Hey ALan,

I laughed when I read ur POE expereince...... some one has said it right.. the more you read , the more knowledge you get. its all about listening to people... thanks alan... Love to know more about u and from u

Jigi