You Talkin to Me?

One of the nice things i'm enjoying about San Franciso is the number of people NOT from America who are living here. It's really a strange and relieving feeling to hear foreign languages being spoken and reminds me a bit of where i just came from. But the huge difference is how many people just randomly talk to you in this city. And I don't mean the loons that are shouting obscenities at you. No, normal everyday people - in stores, on the bus, walking down the street -they just decide "I think I'll take part in her day and comment on [fill in the blank here]. It's happened to me repeatedly since I got here and I just simply forgot about this part of American culture. It's very friendly...and also a little freaky. At first I was "Why are you all up in my business!?" Then I realized when they were just telling me they liked my shoes which...ok, i DO have great shoes and all should admire them. Or I cannot tell you the number of people that comment on my groceries! Which makes me act like they're trying to cheat off my math paper and get randomly defensive about my brand of toothpaste. Don't comment on my Colgate buddy what do you want!?!?! But it's a general openess to strike up a conversation at any given turn. A refreshing thing I'm learning to meet with an open smile and coversation back rather than sprinting the rest of the way to my house until I get inside, a la "there's a murderer following me!"

So now in my neighborhood I actually see a few people regularly walking their dog, catching the bus, and while it is nice to meet new people this pleasantry does bring with it the feeling of "Jesus, what the hell lame story am I going to have to hear from Grizelda today and what other facial expression can I plaster on to make like i'm listening?" But all in all the phenomenon is a good one and I'm learning to come up with some good return conversation responses. Now that I've curtailed the "fleeing the scene" reaction I'm working on:

Stranger: "Wow, that looks like a lovely wine is it good?"
Kate: "BACK OFF YOU CAN'T HAVE IT!"
Stranger: "I just wanted your phone number, crazy."

Calling Peter Rabbit...

One of the things I am marveling at living here in San Francisco is the availability of SO much fresh and ripe fruits and veggies. I forgot that THIS is how an Avacado is supposed to taste! So when i was out walking around I signed up for an organic fruit and veggie delivery service www.farmfreshtoyou.com. It's a working organic farm that every week delivers to your door a box of whatever is in season and at it's peak. Today my farm box arrived! It was so exciting i opened it up this cornicopia of yummies- silver corn, cherries, nectaries which are sooooo juicy and delicious, carrots, button squashes and lots more.

Ok so nevermind that i had this delivered to work as i am not home during the day so in about 2 seconds after the receptionist gave it to me my desk looked like i'd just cleaned out Mr. McGregor's garden! Of course this is when my new boss the CEO chooses to stop by to see how i'm doing. I think I saved face by telling him I'd give him a discount cause he's teh head honcho and only charge him $2 for a carrot vs. the office going rate of $4. Economic downturn, smownturn...clearly he has no regrets for hiring me!

It's Not a 3-Ring Circus, This is Your Home!

When I moved to Amsterdam I was fully prepared to be hit in the face with culture shock - living in a country where I didn't speak the language, didn't know the customs and having to learn how to ride a bike again after 15 years were all hurdles, so I expected to feel like a fish out of water. There's something about being an outsider to a situation that give you the feeling of comfortable anonymity.

However, I never expected and therefore have been completely unprepared for the reverse culture shock of moving back to the US after 3 years abroad. I've been back for a week and my most common facial expression can only be described as wide-eyed and slack-jawed. There's so much familiar and things I've been missing for years that are welcome home presents! For example, I can read and understand my mail again! No small thing as my strategy in Amsterdam was to ignore it until there were millions of exclamation points on the page or something came to be in bright red or yellow - not the best method I grant you but it seemed to work in the consequence free environment that is the Netherlands. I also have been going out and ordering copious amounts of ice just because I can. ICE ICE ICE it's everywhere and out for the taking! How I've missed you making all things cold, frosty and yummy! This also goes with exceptional service and general polite pleasantries I longed for.

But these few things I missed are dwarfed by the feeling of being completely overwhelmed by all things America. It's all just MORE. Bigger food, bigger drinks, more choices of everything (which my friend Semhal knows too much choice just makes me walk around in circles) faster pace of everything, more stores, more access, more cars, louder streets! In Amsterdam the street noise consisted of bicycle bells and there errant tram. My response to all of this combined with a new job and new city, etc is apparently to become narcoleptic. The feeling of negotiating so much new has taxed my delicate system to the point where abnormal amounts of sleep are required to keep me functioning to the next day where I can get up and do it all again.

Grocery shopping started out as a mere errand yesterday. I found the Safeway near my house. After going to the Real Foods all week and paying $4 for an apple I thought I should branch out. I've been in grocery stores before in the US so it's not like I've never seen one before but you'd think I was from Russia by my reaction. I grabbed a cart and started inside and was smacked in the face by the lights, the people and he height of the ceilings. Why have I never noticed how TALL these buildings are?! The cheese island alone took me 20 minutes so forget about the produce section. I tackled only half of the store before feeling dizzy and wanting to lie down in my cart. The checkout aisle has the standard millions of gossip magazines - mind candy- which I used to love reading while waiting for my turn. So I picked up a people...and I knew not 1 person on the cover. Who are these people? Staring back at me were 3 or 4 cookie cutter bimbettes and himbos all looking the same with headlines announcing either their love triangles or their weight gain or loss. I could have easily been reading Chinese. I've not fallen off the planet I was simply living in Europe!

So yes, I'm getting through the first week of a new city and understanding that culture shock can happen in America as well. There is so much to do and see in this city I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore - I can't just hop on my bike and go anymore but there are lots of fantastic options in front of me. I am on a prescription of plenty of naps, lots of sleep, biting off sections of the city at a time and trying to close my mouth while walking around so I don't look insane. As long as I have my giant cup of ice I can get through anything.