Aug 052012
Well, the U.S was so much more than I thought it would be. I mean, it still hit all the marks for what I expected, for example:
- Loud? Check.
- Big? Check.
- Busy? Check.
- Smelly? At times – Check.
But it also surprised me. The very first cabby we had in America (who drove us through Seattle to meet the boys at UBER) talked to us at length about the differences between Australia and the U.S. when it comes to time off. He lamented that they get barely more than a week a year as annual leave, and that their maternity leave is only something paltry like a fortnight. One thing he said really stuck with me, and that was “Americans are so wealthy, and have so much – but the one thing they don’t seem to have is Time.”A�He told us he had come to America from a decent paying job in Europe in hope of having so much more – and it wasn’t what he expected at all. And seeing America with his words in mind did shed some light on things, and how people here live. It really is living large, but you can’t help but feel that some roses really do need you to stop, and take the time to smell them.
It was amazing, and I have no idea when I will be back, but believe me – I would love to do it again. Goodbye America!
