Leah and I got off to a good start. After all the preparation stress right up to the last minute, we are now exhausted and need a holiday. Our first stop is Washington DC, where a family lives with whom Leah spent a year as an au pair after school. That was in Australia, but they have since moved to the States.
In the five days we stayed with the family, we cured our small jet lag, celebrated my birthday, pre-celebrated Leah's birthday, re-celebrated another family birthday (at one point we just sang "Happy Birthday" to who we couldn't remember), took trips to waterfalls and to the cities of Annapolis and Washington, and mentally prepared ourselves for all the fool that is to come.
It was truly great and unique to get such a deep insight into the life of a happy American-Australian family, including birthday parties, summer camps for the children, and a real Maryland experience: dismantling some crabs and then eating the mini mini pieces. We are very grateful for all that!
While we were exploring here and there and not so tired from jet lag or sweating from the heat here, we thought about how life here is different to back home. In particular, we were once again reminded of the small but subtle cultural differences between the United States and Germany, which was already noticeable in the boarding queue for our flight. Although we have both been here before, we seem to have forgotten how self-assured people are, how they are not afraid to snap at you in the street and how there is no better country on earth than their own. It was also interesting to follow the American coverage of the Olympic Games, sometimes you could be forgiven for thinking that no other country was taking part. We were also able to talk about this with our host family, who themselves only moved here from Australia a few years ago and more of a cosmopolitan viewpoint.
On the other hand, you can also feel what happiness and prosperity this country can offer. For example, the beautiful houses in Annapolis right on the water, the many happy and relaxed people with their children and grandparents and the huge choice in supermarkets, restaurants and all kinds of gadgets that sweeten your life.
Unfortunately, this luck is usually reserved for people who have the necessary money, were born into the right family or have been given opportunities that they have used to excel at something. Two media kept popping into my head: (1) a video by Johnny Harris, where he shockingly compares the difference in US lifestyle between an annual salary of $25,000 and $250,000; (2) the book „Outliers“ by Malcom Gladwellin which the author attempts to describe the circumstances that lead to success: Opportunities that are offered to you, as well as behavioural tendencies, and not necessarily just hard work or simply talent.
Now we are sitting here on our last evening and processing our first wonderful experiences. Our washed clothes in the tumble dryer, our bellies filled to the brim, tomorrow's packed lunch prepared and our backpacks packed - the adventure is already waiting for us.
Also nach „fix-und-fertig-sein-Auskurieren“ klingt das Pensum aber nicht gerade… Aber es ist toll, wie viel Ihr in den fünf Tagen gesehen und erlebt zu haben scheint! Gute Weiterreise!
Ja, du weißt ja, wie das ist, dann will man doch noch alles Mögliche anschauen und so… Danke!
Bis jetzt war ja alles ziemlich entspannt. Ich wünsche euch, dass es weiterhin so bleibt und ihr eine tolle Zeit habt. Schön, dass man durch den Blog dabei sein darf.
Vielen Dank!