A Brit in America -The Distance
When I think of America I’m always reminded of that bit from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy…
“Space,” it says, “is big. Really big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space, listen…”
…and even after 8 years of living in the US I’m only just coming to terms with that.
Now don’t get me wrong. I was well aware of the actual size of America, and that it still has huge tracks of land where you could, well, disappear. The thing I didn’t get until coming over here was, how spread out everything is. Let me give you an example.
Whilst still in Essex, I was used to walking most places – work, the pub, picking up Chinese or Indian food. And we would occasionally fall prey to that “it’s Sunday and we don’t have any milk” scenario. So, one winter, whilst visiting the in-laws in Ohio before making the big move, I noticed we didn’t have any milk. I started to don my boots and heavy coat to make like Captain Oates. Ready to trudge out in the bitter night for tomorrows milk. It was only then that I was reminded that the shops would be open on Sunday, be fully stocked (they’re used to the odd bit of snow in Ohio) and besides, the nearest shop was about a mile away.
Even after we moved here and I started working in downtown Cleveland, I found it hard to justify to myself, driving to a meet-up or going out for a drink where I would have to drive 10 or 20 minutes just to get there, let alone drive the additional 40 minutes back home. Its only now that I’m slowly getting used to driving three freeway exits for lunch, or three cities away to look at a furniture store. Part of this is acceptance of the car culture here. Public transport, while adequate in some places, can’t compare to what I used in the UK, but it doesn’t need to. In fact, its more of a pain when you do take the bus over here.
Virtually every shop has free parking. Most are clustered around Freeway exits (which run like ‘B’ roads over here), and with the sometimes terrible Winter weather, roads are still kept drivable. Even at over $3.00 p/gallon, petrol is still pretty cheap (compared to the UK).
So maybe 2011 is the year I embrace a little more of my adopted country’s culture and don’t consider a trip to World Market, Trader Joes, and East Coast Custard all in one day something to fret over and plan like Shackleton going to the South Pole.
- David
David Mead was born and raised in Essex and is proud to be an Englishman, through and through. He moved to Ohio with his American wife Julie in 2002 and they have a wonderful son named Josh. He works as a Web Architect for a large insurance firm. Enjoys watching films, eating spicy food, and wishes everyone liked Bovril as much as he does.
You can follow him on Twitter (@davidmead), or read his blog at http://davidjohnmead.com.
Great post, David but you know what, I find it very ironic because here we are, my husband (Brit) and I (American), living back in the UK after 6 years in America, and we find ourselves doing the Shackleton Plan for almost every single trip! Several reasons why: high cost of petrol, difficulty in finding parking, traffic, traffic and more traffic. It’s all such a big hassle here that we plan wisely before taking the car out of the garage on a Saturday. We have a list at hand and plan our strategy carefully. It’s just NOT worth it if we return home after “running errands” only to find out we’ve missed a stop. It will just have to wait until the next time we’re out and about. Funny that, innit? LOL
Comment by Denise in Greater London — January 24, 2011 @ 2:36 pm
I can relate to David’s story because I lived in two small villages when I was in England. One village was so small there was only one pub and one news agents. We did have a supermarket too and all were literally within two blocks from me. I loved looking forward to walking to the news agents on a Saturday morning, then thru the farmer’s market and then to the super market for anything I couldn’t get from the street vendors. Sunday is my favorite day but I remember always feeling a bit down about the news agents being shut that day and not having an excuse for the morning walk. I couldn’t wait for the pub to open for lunch on Sunday.
Comment by smittenbybritain — January 24, 2011 @ 3:06 pm
It never failed to baffle me how hard it was to walk anywhere in America – love the Hitch Hikers quote
Comment by Glen — January 24, 2011 @ 5:34 pm
It’s one of the things I moan about here, how much money I waste of cars and petrol, all the while getting fatter and lazier. We really must get back to better mass transportation in this country, it’s the way of the future. I was watching a Frontline special on the oil industry recently and they mention how the government made a concerted effort some years ago to not maintain and to destroy our train systems. The reason? You know.
Comment by smittenbybritain — January 24, 2011 @ 8:45 pm
Chicago is almost the exact opposite. A lot of people don’t even bother to own a car; the parking is tight and expensive, public transport is still great even after the cuts, and there are neighbourhood pubs, shops and restaurants galore. I hardly ever use my car. Honestly.
Out in the burbs however, it’s more typically American. Some of my friends couldn’t even walk to the store if they wanted to. Well, they could if they had two hours to spare and a Superhero or two to help carry the bags home.
Comment by Expat Mum — January 24, 2011 @ 9:53 pm
I think I realised how completely assimilated I had become a couple of weeks ago when I thought nothing of meeting a friend for lunch at a restaurant that was a 70 minute drive away.
Didn’t even cross my mind that it was a bit silly until I’d almost got back home. Especially when I remembered my friend lives only 4 blocks away from me…
Comment by Richard, Twisting the Spanner — January 24, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
Thanks Denise.
I’d almost forgotten how bad parking was until I visited the UK a couple of years ago. Coordinating with my friend/chauffeur where to pick me up after meeting someone for lunch was terrible. I ended up leaping into the middle of the road as he slowed down
I guess we all romanticize a little, the more we’re away from stuff.
Comment by David Mead — January 25, 2011 @ 2:31 am
I know Glen. My wife’s still chuckles about the time I suggested walking from one strip-mall to another, pointing out there wasn’t a sidewalk or crosswalk.
Comment by David Mead — January 25, 2011 @ 2:34 am