Adjusting to life in Cleveland
It’s been almost two months since my partner and I moved to Cleveland in America's north-east. As mentioned in my previous post, wherever we go, people's faces light up at sound of our accents. Intrigued, they turn to us and say,
“You guys are English, right?”
Upon encountering a real-life Australian, the awe-struck Clevelander breaks into a huge smile and launches into a monologue about how much he/she is just dying to visit the land Down Under. They tell me how they’d appreciate some decent weather and complain how Cleveland has four seasons in a day. Hmmm. My Melburnian friends and I can definitely relate on the volatile weather front. But, Clevelanders have snow – so they win!
On occasion, I’ve been asked to say, "Maybe the dingo ate your baby." (I blame Elaine from Seinfeld). But generally speaking, Cleveland folk are friendly and have made adjusting to life here relatively easy. There’s a lot to like about this humble city, and the people in it. As much as I’d love to hibernate and avoid wading through mounds of snow, I’m interested in getting to know this cosmopolitan dot in northern Ohio. Just walking the streets takes a substantial amount of effort when you're not accustomed to snow showers and temperatures as low as -20C (-4F).
Living in another country is an amazing, eye-opening experience because it allows you to gain an understanding and appreciation for different people and diverse social customs. As an Australian, I've discovered there's a number of things they do differently here in the US. I'm not talking about the big issues (i.e. gun laws, same-sex marriage and the legality of marijuana), just the subtle nuances of day-to-day life.
Adjusting to the American way:
1. A biscuit (US) = a muffin (Aus)
2. Americans and Australians drive on opposite sides of the road. I've had to get used to looking the other way before crossing. Pedestrians don't need to push a button at the traffic lights, as they change automatically.
3. Tipping all service personnel is the custom. The average tip ranges between 15-25% of the total bill (or, as they call it here, the Check).
4. US cities are equipped to deal with harsh winters. Plough trucks regularly clear the roads of snow, spreading salt.
5. Tax is not included in the price listed in the supermarket aisle.
6. "BROIL" is not a mistakenly spelt word on my kitchen oven, and it doesn't mean BOIL either. Broil = Grill
7. Here in Ohio, a simple MmmHmm or Okay is the equivalent of the colloquially Aussie answer to everything – "no worries". Each time I've attempted to end a social interaction with the words "no worries", I am met with a stupefied glare followed by, "I'm sorry. Who's worried about what, Ma'am?" Which leads to my next point...
8. Sir and Ma'am are widely used as a polite form of addressing strangers. This isn't limited to service personnel.
9. Coffee takes the form of a filtered long black brew. It comes with cream, not milk. Don't bother asking for a long black or a skinny latte. Although, almond milk lattes are gaining traction here (and, at most places, almond milk doesn't cost extra!).
10. Cookies are a common dessert at city eateries. They are absolutely fattening and absolutely DELICIOUS.
11. Anti-choking signs (steps to take incase someone chokes on their pizza) feature on the walls of restaurants.
12. With apartment living, disposing of rubbish involves throwing it down a trash chute, not wheeling a giant green garbage bin out front.
13. Chewing gum looks different. In the US, chewing gum has a larger and more flattened shape.
14. The local pharmacy, is known as a drug store. Pharmaceutical products advertised on American TV come with lengthy disclaimers about side effects.
15. In the US, if you're not eating-in at a restaurant, you'll have your food "to go" not "takeaway".
16. Chips are NOT French fries. If you order a side of chips, you'll get potato crisps (Samboy's) with your beef burger.
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Are you an Aussie who has spent some time in America? Or an American who has lived in Australia? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the little day-to-day differences between the two countries.
