Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Land of the Free
It's great to be back in our hometown. We know where to buy anything we need, where to eat, where to go to pubs - it's great. We're driving on the right side of the road again, and there are open spaces. Relatively no traffic either.
Still, you can't help but be a little bit affected by time abroad. Here's three things I noticed about America, after having been away for eight months.
1 - We've still got a weight problem. It's obvious and everyone knows it, but it still struck me this time. A lot of people are, well, a bit larger.
2 - We're rich. The country is the richest in the world, and it shows. Everything was just a notch or two nicer than in the UK. Cleaner, newer, more designed. From the hair cut shops to the architecture. And cell phones seem to have caught up, though I can't be sure about that, since mine is the cheapest imaginable, and looks like its the first model developed with a color screen.
3 - Campaigns are way bigger. I just watched Barack Obama's big speech. This must be an area where the stereotypically reserved nature of the British continues to manifest. There is nothing like the American election that happens in the UK. People do not get this excited about candidates. Barack Obama is loved in the UK. He could probably fill a stadium there too (and he practically did in Germany). But no UK politician could.
Tony Blair, in his final, resignation address, said he was 'proud to have served the United Kingdom, the greatest nation on the Earth.' And people just scratched their heads. They were like, "we don't say that kind of thing here." The only people who fly the flags are soccer hooligans. On the way home from Chicago we drove through a small town with a bunch of flags hanging from the lamp posts on main street. Not uncommon here, not done there.
Still, you can't help but be a little bit affected by time abroad. Here's three things I noticed about America, after having been away for eight months.
1 - We've still got a weight problem. It's obvious and everyone knows it, but it still struck me this time. A lot of people are, well, a bit larger.
2 - We're rich. The country is the richest in the world, and it shows. Everything was just a notch or two nicer than in the UK. Cleaner, newer, more designed. From the hair cut shops to the architecture. And cell phones seem to have caught up, though I can't be sure about that, since mine is the cheapest imaginable, and looks like its the first model developed with a color screen.
3 - Campaigns are way bigger. I just watched Barack Obama's big speech. This must be an area where the stereotypically reserved nature of the British continues to manifest. There is nothing like the American election that happens in the UK. People do not get this excited about candidates. Barack Obama is loved in the UK. He could probably fill a stadium there too (and he practically did in Germany). But no UK politician could.
Tony Blair, in his final, resignation address, said he was 'proud to have served the United Kingdom, the greatest nation on the Earth.' And people just scratched their heads. They were like, "we don't say that kind of thing here." The only people who fly the flags are soccer hooligans. On the way home from Chicago we drove through a small town with a bunch of flags hanging from the lamp posts on main street. Not uncommon here, not done there.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Done and Dusted
Well, Grace's dissertation is pretty much done and dusted. We're going into town this morning to print and bind the thing before we hop on an afternoon flight back to the USA. And I'm completely done with all my freelance work. My most important concern, for the moment, is what the inflight movies will be.
In the US, we'll be in Iowa till September 4. I've never packed lighter. I brought almost nothing to do, not even my laptop. I'm going to just relax and visit with people. It's gonna be great.
On the way back, Grace's sister is coming with us, and we should be getting in Friday morning. We'll do one or two day trips that weekend while she's in town (we're thinking stonehenge), but then I'll have to head back to work.
See (some of you) soon!
In the US, we'll be in Iowa till September 4. I've never packed lighter. I brought almost nothing to do, not even my laptop. I'm going to just relax and visit with people. It's gonna be great.
On the way back, Grace's sister is coming with us, and we should be getting in Friday morning. We'll do one or two day trips that weekend while she's in town (we're thinking stonehenge), but then I'll have to head back to work.
See (some of you) soon!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Two Things
(Can you tell I'm procrastinating?)
1. Check out this blog, it's about hilarious decorated cakes. I think the funniest ones are the ones where the cake decorator writes something like
Happy birthday
Jimmy
(in green)!
in icing on a cake... in red.
Check out the CakeWrecks Blog here.
Update: This picture should make clear what Grace is getting at.
2. I forgot to mention this earlier but while Matt and I were without internet, we went up to the Highgate Library to use their computers. We tried to check the blog to see if there were any comments. The Highgate Library internet filters blocked out our blog because they've classified it as a pornography site! We clicked the link to contest the classification, but I don't think it's been changed. This is a complete injustice!
1. Check out this blog, it's about hilarious decorated cakes. I think the funniest ones are the ones where the cake decorator writes something like
Happy birthday
Jimmy
(in green)!
in icing on a cake... in red.
Check out the CakeWrecks Blog here.
Update: This picture should make clear what Grace is getting at.
2. I forgot to mention this earlier but while Matt and I were without internet, we went up to the Highgate Library to use their computers. We tried to check the blog to see if there were any comments. The Highgate Library internet filters blocked out our blog because they've classified it as a pornography site! We clicked the link to contest the classification, but I don't think it's been changed. This is a complete injustice!
Aaaaaauuuuggghhh
I'm sitting in the library at UCL writing my dissertation. I hope to finish the draft today, but I'm not sure I can. This is the first time I've left our flat in three days of constant writing. The sunlight was absolutely blinding this morning.
Four more days until we come home!!!!!!!!!
Four more days until we come home!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Visiting the USA from a Foreigner's Perspective
We've finally got the internet and I really should be working on some freelance, which is due Friday, but instead I'm writing a little something here. I lost my whole weekend to freelance work, so I'm finding it difficult to stay on the ball over the week.
Anyhoo, I've been wanting to mention this for a few weeks now.
I'm the only American guy at work, so its interesting to hear everyone's opinion about the land of the free. One thing that came up a lot two weeks ago was how much everyone hates our airport security. Apparently, a bunch of US tourism associations issued a survey to foreigners traveling to America and found that foreigners now fear US immigration and passport people more than terrorists when they are traveling to our country. The people at my office echoed this, saying how, when they get off the plane they get incredibly nervous and have to remind themselves that they haven't actually done anything wrong. They said it's far less stressful getting through customs in Russia than it is in the US. And these guys are Canadians and Europeans, not people from the Middle East. One guy in our sales department is from Lebanon (I think) and he got interviewed for hours apparently. The security people seemed to think it was amazing that a non-terrorist person from Lebanon would try to visit the country. And I remember how some of my other friends went to New York with their families for Christmas. They had to get their fingerprints and photos taken before they could enter the country. Like criminals!
I think its a shame, but these people don't have a Senator they can write to and complain so nobody does anything. In fact, everybody (myself included) is terrified to make a fuss about anything when you're at the airport, since the security people seem to have all sort of power that they can use arbitrarily. By the time you leave, you put it behind you though.
In lighter news, one of our relatives was talking about customs at Dulles International in Washington, D.C. Apparently at this airport, if you arrive on an international flight you are not permitted to leave the airport until you collect your bags and recheck in, and go through security. Let me be clear. This is not an instance where you have to collect your bags and go through security a second time before you can catch a connecting flight. This is an airport where you have to collect your bags and go through security a second time before you can walk out the door and take a cab home. I guess so you don't blow up one of the taxi cabs. My relative said that, because of this rule, Dulles international is perpetually on the edge of full-on riot. These Americans get home after these 8 to 15 hour flights and they just want to get into a car and go home. But then they find they are not allowed to until they go through security. And the yelling starts.
Good times!
If you are interested, there's a pretty funny blog post here about the Kafkaesque trials you must submit to before you can LEAVE the Pakistani capital of Karachi.
Also, I've added a bunch of links to the blog to all the nerdy economic and economic development and foreign policy blogs I'm reading now.
Anyhoo, I've been wanting to mention this for a few weeks now.
I'm the only American guy at work, so its interesting to hear everyone's opinion about the land of the free. One thing that came up a lot two weeks ago was how much everyone hates our airport security. Apparently, a bunch of US tourism associations issued a survey to foreigners traveling to America and found that foreigners now fear US immigration and passport people more than terrorists when they are traveling to our country. The people at my office echoed this, saying how, when they get off the plane they get incredibly nervous and have to remind themselves that they haven't actually done anything wrong. They said it's far less stressful getting through customs in Russia than it is in the US. And these guys are Canadians and Europeans, not people from the Middle East. One guy in our sales department is from Lebanon (I think) and he got interviewed for hours apparently. The security people seemed to think it was amazing that a non-terrorist person from Lebanon would try to visit the country. And I remember how some of my other friends went to New York with their families for Christmas. They had to get their fingerprints and photos taken before they could enter the country. Like criminals!
I think its a shame, but these people don't have a Senator they can write to and complain so nobody does anything. In fact, everybody (myself included) is terrified to make a fuss about anything when you're at the airport, since the security people seem to have all sort of power that they can use arbitrarily. By the time you leave, you put it behind you though.
In lighter news, one of our relatives was talking about customs at Dulles International in Washington, D.C. Apparently at this airport, if you arrive on an international flight you are not permitted to leave the airport until you collect your bags and recheck in, and go through security. Let me be clear. This is not an instance where you have to collect your bags and go through security a second time before you can catch a connecting flight. This is an airport where you have to collect your bags and go through security a second time before you can walk out the door and take a cab home. I guess so you don't blow up one of the taxi cabs. My relative said that, because of this rule, Dulles international is perpetually on the edge of full-on riot. These Americans get home after these 8 to 15 hour flights and they just want to get into a car and go home. But then they find they are not allowed to until they go through security. And the yelling starts.
Good times!
If you are interested, there's a pretty funny blog post here about the Kafkaesque trials you must submit to before you can LEAVE the Pakistani capital of Karachi.
Also, I've added a bunch of links to the blog to all the nerdy economic and economic development and foreign policy blogs I'm reading now.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Spotting Number Two
I wasn't going to try new postings, but I had to make it known, especially for Patricia.
Spotting Number Two of Adrian Lukis, Mr. Wickham from the BBC Pride and Prejudice Miniseries:
For context:
This time he came in to Wagamama, a trendy yet cheap chain noodle restaurant, where I was eating with some friends. Matt was still coming to meet us from work, so he did not see him. I was with the same friend as before and she said the woman he was eating with was his daughter.
I just realised how stalker-ish this sounds. I'm not a stalker, honestly, if anything he's stalking me. What business did he have coming into the one Wagamama in the entire city in which I was already eating? Clearly I'm the one being stalked.
I apologise for sounding like a crazy person, my brain is mush from dissertation-writing.
Spotting Number Two of Adrian Lukis, Mr. Wickham from the BBC Pride and Prejudice Miniseries:
For context:
This time he came in to Wagamama, a trendy yet cheap chain noodle restaurant, where I was eating with some friends. Matt was still coming to meet us from work, so he did not see him. I was with the same friend as before and she said the woman he was eating with was his daughter.
I just realised how stalker-ish this sounds. I'm not a stalker, honestly, if anything he's stalking me. What business did he have coming into the one Wagamama in the entire city in which I was already eating? Clearly I'm the one being stalked.
I apologise for sounding like a crazy person, my brain is mush from dissertation-writing.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
So busy
We've been really busy the last few weeks and we're going to be busy the next two. I am currently writing my dissertation and Matt has a ton of freelance to do, not to mention editing my dissertation (for which I will be paying him the exorbitant sum of $800 per hour, seems like a rip-off but he's the top of the editing field) (the joke there was that I'm paying him from money he earns himself, since I am unemployed, and that there will be no physical or electronic transfer of money).
The good news is at the end of these two weeks, we'll be coming home to Iowa City for a week. We're very, very excited to get through this and enjoy some time at home and see all our friends and family. We haven't been home for 8 months, so we're looking forward to it. FYI, the blog will probably be quiet for the next stretch but after that... the adventures continue!!! And for the first time, Grace will be facing THE REAL WORLD of job hunting in the narrow and narrowing human rights field!!!
The good news is at the end of these two weeks, we'll be coming home to Iowa City for a week. We're very, very excited to get through this and enjoy some time at home and see all our friends and family. We haven't been home for 8 months, so we're looking forward to it. FYI, the blog will probably be quiet for the next stretch but after that... the adventures continue!!! And for the first time, Grace will be facing THE REAL WORLD of job hunting in the narrow and narrowing human rights field!!!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Moving Days
The day has finally come for Grace and I to say goodbye to our little studio. We've actually been looking forward to this move for quite some time, because the charming studio has become a cluttered sweatbox in the last few weeks.
To be able to afford something bigger than a studio, we've had to move out of the centre of London. Check it out.
We brought over the first load of luggage last night. We've thought about how to move, and since we don't own any furniture (or even bulky TV's or desktop computers), we're packing everything into suitcases and duffel bags then taking taxis over (20 pounds per ride). We estimate it will take three trips, between our four suitcases and two duffel bags. It was a minimum 120 pounds to rent a van. When we finish unpacking at the new place, we put all the little suitcases into bigger ones until we just have two big but basically empty ones. We then take the bus back home. Unfortunately its a 45 minute ride. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try and bike into work. It would be a good workout, and the bus takes over an hour I hear, plus it would be cheaper in the long run to bike, but I would need to buy all the gear first, and shower at work, which is not a tempting proposition.
We arrived in the place last night around 9 and had some trouble getting in at first. Our landlords are on vacation till the tenth, so if anything goes wrong, we might be in a bit of trouble. But after 10 minutes, we figured out how to open the door. We've moved to a safe area, so we weren't really concerned about being in the street with all our luggage.
Anyway, the new place is cool (temperature wise) and big. Grace and I sat on the couch (we have a couch again!) and I just stared to the far corner. It was a strange sensation. It seemed so far away. The new living room is about the size of our entire studio, but it seems bigger because there's so little stuff. We've got a bed plopping down right in the middle of our studio, plus a kitchen, desk, and lots of shelves poking out everywhere. Without that bed in the middle, the new living room just seemed so wide and free. You can get up and walk to the opposite corner of the room in a straight line!
We're not sure the history of our place, but its a bit old. The doorframes are not seven foot, as is common now, and my head can just touch the top of the frames of the new flat if I really stand with good posture. The doors themselves look really old, with ancient doorknobs. My theory is that we're living in refurbished servant quarters.
We are having to re-adapt to normal life in some ways with this new place. For example, we have a bigger refrigerator (still tiny by American standards), with a seperate freezer. Since there's not a grocery store three minutes walk from our new place, we won't be able to just pop over to the grocery store every day to get our dinner, as we do now. We will have to keep a well-stocked kitchen. For example, last night, I was hungry at 11 after we got back from the unpacking, so I just walked over to the 24-hour Tesco express, which is just around the corner, and bought a yogurt and a muffin. Now I'll have to keep yogurt in the house (!). Also, we have a dresser, you know, with drawers. We currently just put all our clothes on shelves, because, well, there's no dresser.
Anyway, we hope to make one run this morning and the last one this evening. The new place won't have access to internet until the landlords get back, so we might be a bit scarce for awhile on the blog, but I guess that's not a huge change of pace.
To be able to afford something bigger than a studio, we've had to move out of the centre of London. Check it out.
We brought over the first load of luggage last night. We've thought about how to move, and since we don't own any furniture (or even bulky TV's or desktop computers), we're packing everything into suitcases and duffel bags then taking taxis over (20 pounds per ride). We estimate it will take three trips, between our four suitcases and two duffel bags. It was a minimum 120 pounds to rent a van. When we finish unpacking at the new place, we put all the little suitcases into bigger ones until we just have two big but basically empty ones. We then take the bus back home. Unfortunately its a 45 minute ride. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try and bike into work. It would be a good workout, and the bus takes over an hour I hear, plus it would be cheaper in the long run to bike, but I would need to buy all the gear first, and shower at work, which is not a tempting proposition.
We arrived in the place last night around 9 and had some trouble getting in at first. Our landlords are on vacation till the tenth, so if anything goes wrong, we might be in a bit of trouble. But after 10 minutes, we figured out how to open the door. We've moved to a safe area, so we weren't really concerned about being in the street with all our luggage.
Anyway, the new place is cool (temperature wise) and big. Grace and I sat on the couch (we have a couch again!) and I just stared to the far corner. It was a strange sensation. It seemed so far away. The new living room is about the size of our entire studio, but it seems bigger because there's so little stuff. We've got a bed plopping down right in the middle of our studio, plus a kitchen, desk, and lots of shelves poking out everywhere. Without that bed in the middle, the new living room just seemed so wide and free. You can get up and walk to the opposite corner of the room in a straight line!
We're not sure the history of our place, but its a bit old. The doorframes are not seven foot, as is common now, and my head can just touch the top of the frames of the new flat if I really stand with good posture. The doors themselves look really old, with ancient doorknobs. My theory is that we're living in refurbished servant quarters.
We are having to re-adapt to normal life in some ways with this new place. For example, we have a bigger refrigerator (still tiny by American standards), with a seperate freezer. Since there's not a grocery store three minutes walk from our new place, we won't be able to just pop over to the grocery store every day to get our dinner, as we do now. We will have to keep a well-stocked kitchen. For example, last night, I was hungry at 11 after we got back from the unpacking, so I just walked over to the 24-hour Tesco express, which is just around the corner, and bought a yogurt and a muffin. Now I'll have to keep yogurt in the house (!). Also, we have a dresser, you know, with drawers. We currently just put all our clothes on shelves, because, well, there's no dresser.
Anyway, we hope to make one run this morning and the last one this evening. The new place won't have access to internet until the landlords get back, so we might be a bit scarce for awhile on the blog, but I guess that's not a huge change of pace.
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