I have a question for everyone on my list who is not American but has traveled here (or lived here).
Imagine you have a friend who is traveling to the US for the first time. Previously they’ve only ever taken package holidays to beach resorts but now they’re branching out to a couple of weeks somewhere in the US and planning it all themselves.
What piece of advice would you give them to help them navigate this deceptively foreign country?
It could be something as simple as how to order breakfast in a diner (or as complicated as how to get a decent cup of tea). It could be to remind them that almost all the shops are shut on Thanksgiving Day (Nov) or that most shops don’t shut at any other time; or that nobody ever buys anything at full price. It could be as specific as “When you’re in New Orleans you must get coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde and sit and watch the world walk by.”
Or you could simply tell me a story of an experience you’ve had as a visitor (or with visitors).
Beware: your tips could end up (in modified form) in my creative writing ;)
I’m looking forward to some eye-opening comments :) Thanks!
My advice would be to check out vrbo.com or other resources for lodging in actual homes for extended bits of time — at least a few days — to get the feel for life in a particular locale. And if you are road-tripping, be sure to eat at the truck stops. Any trucker will tell you that you can’t live on fast-food, and truck-stop-people-watching is good fun.
Thanks, Theresa. I’m sure I remember our mutual friend singing the praises of the truck stop culture. I’m not sure I’ve even ever seen one. I wonder if they’re one of these phenomenae like ‘Faerie’ or Stormhold, that you simply can’t see until you’ve been initiated…