Observations from America

I was just home for about 8 days, spending time with immediate and extended family. After being away from America for awhile, I noticed some things that I had not noticed before; here are four of them.

1. Tendency one: diet Soda
I think diet soda is one of the main contributing factors that is making Americans fat. I see so many overweight people drinking diet soda, and I’ve also read articles about how the fake sugar (aspartame) in diet sodas often makes people hungrier a few hours later. Here’s my thought: for every two cans of diet soda you drink, replace it with one can of regular cherry coke. Why cherry coke you might ask? It’s simple: Cherry coke is delicious and will undoubtedly solve many cravings that might surface later on in the day. Plus, cherry coke will help you to feel full so you’re less likely to eat more later.

2. Tendency two: coiffured hair
I only saw a few “natural” hairstyles…one of them being my own. Most women have hair that is dyed, straightened, layered, sprayed, and tucked just so. I’m not criticizing, I’m coveting. If I were not such a lazy girl, and if I had regular access to Western style beauty salons, I would also have coiffured hair. But alas, the wild beast is untamed while slowly becoming a crown of glory.

3. Tendency three: Wide open spaces
The land in South Dakota and Nebraska is largely uninhabited. Even where it is habited, large grass plots cushion the area between houses. People don’t live on top of each other like they do in other countries. Instead, Americans tend to create distance in the form of yards, fences, and landscape.

4. Tendency four: huge grocery stores
I visited a Super Saver a couple times in Lincoln, Nebraska and was in absolute shock by the lack of people in the aisles. I was also in shock by the enormity of the store. It felt more like a warehouse than a supermarket. If I were looking for a part time job in the States, I would apply at Super Saver, and I would ask to be the person who restocks the cheese aisle. A happy employee you would find.