Expat Q & A - Perceptions of Expat Life in the USA

The great thing about the expat Q & A hosted by the lovely Belinda and Bailie is that it makes me realize that my expat life is, well, normal.

This month's expat Q & A is about how others perceive expat life. It's been fascinating to read the other responses because there seems to be some universally shared experiences. No matter where a blogger moved from or to it appears that their friends and family think they're living a fairytale life abroad, a constant vacation.

But really, it's just life.

Everyday, boring, normal, quotidian, mundane life. And sometimes (most of the time) that life is pretty good. So here are my answers to this month's questions, but don't forget to check out the rest too!

Question #1: How does your family and friends back home perceive your new life, and is it accurate?

Actually, I think most of my friends and family have a realistic impression of how life in the USA works now. I talk about ordinary things like my commute to work, buying a car, nights in with my husband, networking, etc.

But when I still lived in Britain and first discussed moving to America, I usually got one of two responses:

1. Wow! That's so glamorous! America, that's cool!
2. So, how do you really feel about moving to a country without public healthcare?

I won't go into the second response here (yet) but the first one is interesting, because it's kind of related to what I said in my guest post on A Compass Rose about the UK impression of the US. It's often one-sided, but America has so many sides.

Two very different sides of America

There is a side of America that's fast-moving, cosmopolitan, urban, and exciting. And then there is the side of America that is vast, open, rustic, and fascinating.

And I live slap bang in the middle of both. Yes, I live very close to two of the biggest cities in the country (Philadelphia and New York). But my daily commute involves all aspects of US living: driving past corn fields and cows, along multi-lane suburban pikes past shopping malls, through little towns, and even a stint on a highway for good measure.

So while my friends know that I'm not on a constant vacation, and I don't live on fast food, I'm not sure they get a whole picture of the contrasts of American living.

Murals in Philly

Hot Dogs in New York

Cabela's - the outdoor outfitters

Question #1: Do you find the need to edit your life from friends and family? 

At the beginning, I definitely did, for fear of disappointing them!

I know that's silly, but after my friends and family had been so supportive in the lead-up to my emigrating from the UK to the USA, I didn't want them to think that I wasn't living the American Dream.

The truth is, those first few months of immigration and expattery can be really hard, and after all the hype and expectation, I didn't want people to worry, or to think I'd made a mistake.

But now, now I'm settled and life is normal, and wonderfully so, I'll confide and talk about my daily frustrations. Recently I had an hour long Skype chat with a friend in Scotland because we're both looking at buying used cars, and that's a universal pain!

Labor Day, Philadelphia, 2013

Last year for Labor Day, we stayed at home, baked cookies and watched Newsies. This year I had the honor of witnessing Philadelphia's Labor Day parade. Just like July 4th, I thought I'd share some of my photos from the beginning of the parade.

Now the tricky part about this was the rain that hit just as the event got going. It was torrential, but it didn't deter those who marched - which was truly awe-inspiring. People grabbed plastic ponchos and kept on walking. I grabbed one myself, although I used it to cover and protect my camera, while I got drenched from head to toe. My shoes took days to dry. I didn't mind though - it was much warmer than the same kind of rain in Glasgow!

So that's why these photos aren't the best, as most were taken through the armhole of a free plastic poncho.

What did you get up to for the holiday weekend? And what are you looking forward to this fall?

Some beautiful pictures of Spring in the Square

These are some serene images from the early morn last week in Philly. This is Rittenhouse Square, one of the five squares in Philly.

It is a beautiful part of the city, surrounded by Parisian-style bistros with al fresco seating, allowing you to eat oysters and watch people walk their dogs in the park. There are several museums and galleries in this little space: CFEVA, the Print Center, the Philadelphia Art Alliance, and the Curtis Institute to name a few. There is also the friendliest Starbucks in the world.

Philadelphia has an important place in US history, as does Boston. I've only been to Boston once, but it is a fantastic city - it is to Philly what Edinburgh is to Glasgow. And today, while I may be in Philly, my thoughts are with those in Boston affected by yesterday's tragic events, and with the first responders, who always bring back my faith in humanity.

Edit: I since realized that this part of Philly is known as the French Quarter. That certainly explains the European style al fresco dining!

Five ways Glasgow and Philadelphia are similar

World War Z is a Brad Pitt zombie movie set to attack movie theaters this June. It is set here in Philadelphia, but it was actually filmed in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

Readers will know that both of these cities hold special places in my heart. I lived, studied, worked, danced, drank (and dated my now husband) in Glasgow for a good six years of my life - and now Philly is my home city.

The trailer is hilarious. For anyone who has ever lived in or been to Glasgow and/or Philadelphia, the aerial shots of 'Glasgowdelphia' are so blatant and comedic. George Square looks nothing like any of the five squares in Philly.

BUT, Glasgow and Philadelphia are really similar. I love them both, and I love to compare my home countries, so here's a fun list of the similarities between the two best cities in the world.

Shots of 'Glasgowdelphia' during filming of World War Z. Not mine, but taken by a fantastic photographer friend.
Check out her photos of famous bands and musical artists (including One Direction, Fun. and, er Jedward)

1. Grid System

Glasgow was chosen to represent Philly in the Brad Pitt zombie movie because both cities are built according to a grid system. For US cities that's not unusual at all - even American countryside seems to be laid out in grids. It's really confusing for a British driver like me because everything looks the same.

Old British cities like London and Edinburgh are full of long winding streets and alleyways that change name and turn corners and allow people to get wonderfully lost. Much of Glasgow is the same, but the city center is built in squares. Glasgow doesn't have numbered streets though, which as you can see they had to build into the set.

2. Deco buildings

The first rule of being a local in any city is never look up. But in Glasgow and Philly it is so hard to follow the rules! Both cities are havens for beautiful, beautiful art deco architecture.

Glasgow is known for being the birth place of Charles Rennie Mackingtosh and his works and inspiration are visible all over the city. For example, the Beresford in Glasgow is a gorgeous apartment block that was renovated several years ago. Friends of mine lived there for a while and it was always fun to visit.

But Philadelphia trumps Glasgow for art deco, hands down. For example, The Metropolitan is a luxury art deco apartment block that catches my breath every time I see it. Can't you just imagine Batman standing or hanging from the arches and surveying America's fifth biggest city? It's stunning. There are examples of deco architecture almost everywhere in Philadelphia and I can't get enough of them.

3. Arts and Culture

When I studied Film and Television in Glasgow, I felt like I was in a pocket of creativity. It's full of culture, from the aura of the Art School and its fantastic events and club nights, to the musical creativity that comes from the city (Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, Paolo Nutini, Frightened Rabbit, Biffy Clyro…).

And now Philadelphia is where it's at. For arts and culture, it's the place to be. Even the Philadelphia Inquirer had to admit it. Portland? Old news. Brooklyn? That's so 2008. I feel like Philly is a city on the brink of something amazing. Just don't tell everyone, we locals want to keep it a secret.

4. Left-Wing Politics

In last year's Presidential election, parts of Philadelphia cast no votes for the Republican party. It was the same in 2008. It is no secret that Philadelphia is a Democratic stronghold nestled within some fairly conservative suburban/rural counties.

In Glasgow the left-wing Labour Party has controlled the city council for over three decades.

Both cities are incredibly diverse post-industrial cities with great shipbuilding histories, and that feeds into their respective political histories.

5. Not being the capital

Both Philadelphia and Glasgow benefit from not being the capital cities. London, Edinburgh, DC (and New York) frequently overshadow these cities, and Glasgowdelphia residents couldn't be happier about that. Underrated, nothing to prove, no need to be nice to tourists: Culturally they are very similar. They are beautiful, edgy, fun, yet rough around the edges and only friendly in their own quirky ways.

And you should visit both of them. Soak in the atmospheres, visit the museums and the university campuses (Glasgow University is Russell Group and UPenn is Ivy League - dontcha know?). Walk around and visit the plethora of vintage boutiques and thrift stores in Philly's Old City and the Glasgow West End. Catch a sunny day and lay down in the parks and squares and listen to the locals shouting and singing. Eat wonderful cuisine, visit intimidating dive bars, be careful, be streetwise, be inspired, and then try to tell me you don't love these two cities.

Five characteristics of Britain, illustrated through flowers

The charm of this year's Philadelphia Flower Show (the largest indoor flower show in the world) was the theme: Great Britain. It was fun for me not only to see the gorgeous displays, but also to get an inkling of what the US thinks about my home-turf.

Here were five themes of the flower show that really made me feel at home…

1. Rain

How many times have Americans asked me if it really rains every day in Britain? I've lost count. I always tell them "yes, every day, never a day without rain". Considering that the size of the UK stretches from Maine to North Carolina I'm probably not wrong.

2. The Beatles

Did you notice the Let it Be garden just there? Well it wasn't the only Beatle themed garden. My favorite setting of the whole show is this one just here. Can you guess the two songs?

3. (Childrens') Literature

There were two Alice in Wonderland gardens - this large setting here, and a smaller one with a topiary Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit. I also saw Jane Austen,  Sherlock, and Dracula. Some were better than others, and some relied very heavily on non-plant props. 

4. The Monarchy

From the moment visitors entered the grand hall in the PA Convention Center, they'd see it was a royal floral affair. The crown jewels were spectacular, and the dried flower portraits were stunning. Can you see Her Majesty making a sneaky appearance?

5. Tea

This one was subtle, but it was definitely there. Whether it was a hidden teapot in a bijou apartment deck garden, the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, or a simple cup of tea between innings (that's a cricket thing), my old nation's favorite drink could be found. 

The bloomin' Phila Flower Show

If you can't guess, the theme of this year's Philadelphia Flower Show is good ol' Great Britain! Of course this Philly-based Brit had to take a look.

I have plenty more photos where these came from… But if you'd rather see these darling buds for real, the show goes on until the end of the week. It's jolly good!

Sunday Supplements (and Sunday puppy too)

Here's a low-budget photography tip: Anything, yes anything, can be used as a tripod or light-stand, even a yoga mat.

This week I spent a long time trying to recreate the glad blog from scratch using CSS, chatted with old friends about coding and cameras, designed some posters for my local YMCA, and got stood up by a photography client.*

While you're reading this I'll be out for birthday brunch with my friend Dave. When I moved over I was so worried about everything, including making new friends, but Dave is one of those guys I instantly clicked with over cocktails and conversations about British sit-coms. Everyone say happy (belated) birthday to Dave!

 *The rest of time, here's what I did…

Watching

 

Time Lapse Video of Philadelphia - This is quite cute, and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra soundtrack is always beautiful.

Admiring

 

A Philadelphia Row Home - This is what a Philly row home looks like in cross-section. 

Lonely photos of the BBC Television Centre - BBC TVC is a magical place to me. As a young child I knew that this was the place where television was made. It was a dream come true to get the chance to work there last year, especially since the BBC is moving out soon. It is a building so full of UK pop culture history, so perfectly designed, and yet so old and crumbling. Even in my short time there I found strange abandoned spaces, with walls that probably had a million celebrity stories to tell if only they could talk.

Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars - Let's just all agree that it was her night. The Oscar, the dress, the finger, Jack Nicholson. Just wow.

Oscar Nominations - This is quite old now, but it's fun to revisit these literal movie posters post-Oscars.

Lunch Bags designed by the best dad in the world - This is a devoted father. A serious contender against the wave at the bus dad for best dad ever award.

Reading

Associate Animals Editor at Buzzfeed - This is a real job advert.

Expat voting rights - As a UK citizen with US Residency I don't get to vote. I don't get to vote anywhere. I'm not supposed to vote in the UK, and I can't vote in the USA. If I stay long enough to get a US Passport, then I'll be able to vote in US elections. It's strange being disenfranchised like this, but that's actually the way I think it should be.

I admit I was biased when I first stumbled upon this article - someone who does not live in the UK should not expect the right to vote in the UK. Her argument about voting in Spain, under the EU freedom of movement, is interesting.

I mentioned this to my husband, asking "if you lived abroad for 20 years, you could still vote in US elections?" to which he replied, in true American fashion "hell yeah, if I have property in the USA, I could still vote, wherever I was."

To my expat and traveller readers, what do you think about expat voting rights?

One Week of US Cuisine

 I've said before that American food gets a bum rap.

Perhaps when you think of "American food" you think of McDonalds, drive-thrus, diners and do-nuts. To some extent you'd be right to think of those things. They are everywhere.

They are on every street corner, on every intersection, by (or in) churches and museums. The food is cheap, sweet, and childish, and often famous for the branding or business model more than anything else.

But that's not everything. You know it's not. If you don't believe me, I'm going to show you. In just one week, I'll make you a fan…

A Week in US Cuisine

America has a very rich immigrant culture, and some fabulous cuisine to boot. Finding excellent food here can be surprising and wonderful. And it's fun. American food is undoubtedly fun. What American food sometimes lacks in sophistication it often makes up for in experience and good humor.

Take my mum's visit over Thanksgiving week, for example. She wanted to experience American food. She's travelled all over the world - Europe, Asia, South and North America. She's tasted all sorts of cuisine. She's even been to the USA a fair few times. But when I asked her the first thing she'd like to do when she arrived she said "go to the supermarket".

So that's what we did.

Monday - Supermarket lunch

 

In the UK a supermarket lunch is a sad affair - usually comprising a wrinkled baked potato sitting under a heat lamp all day, cheap baked beans, and terrible tea, all served on suspiciously sticky tables. Do British supermarket want to punish families for spending their afternoons traipsing up and down the shopping aisles? The food is an afterthought, which is a worrying thing in a store that sells food.

Not so here in PA.

I'm not talking about Super-Walmarts with a Subway franchise inside. I'm talking about lesser known, small family chains of supermarkets. A prime example is Wegmans, once dubbed the 'Anti-Walmart' by The Atlantic magazine (in an unsponsored article, it appears). The Wegmans approach to food and shopping is a little different to that displayed by most supermarkets. Whole Foods comes close, but not quite.

Wegmans is a beautiful playground for food and produce, complete with a miniature railway circling high above the cheese department. Lunch there could be take-out pizza, sushi, a hoagie, or a wholesome twist on pub lunch, complete with specialty draft beer. Everything on the menu, from the seasonal beer to the multi-grain marathon bread, is available in-store to take home.

And that's how supermarket dining should be. It's seems so obvious. A supermarket's food should be like a giant exciting tasting counter. Trust Americans to actually make grocery shopping fun.

Tuesday - Reading Terminal Market

The Philadelphia cheesesteak is ubiquitous. I won't go into the debate over Pat's, or Geno's or Tony Luke's here,  because I've yet to try them. I didn't realize the sin of my ways until I took my mum for lunch in the city center.

The Reading Terminal Market is another fun food playground, a disorienting cuisine casino bustling with tourists and lunching business locals. It's a Caesar's Palace filled with all sorts of cultural fayre, including, of course, the cheesesteak.

Carmen's is great for the uninitiated cheesesteak consumer - they'll advise you the most popular way to do it. Provolone or Cheese Whizz? Sweet peppers or not? I can't remember because they fried it up so quickly. I get the impression they are used to hungry and bewildered tourists bumbling up to their neon sign.

And for dessert: On a cold November afternoon of culinary touristing, who can resist an apple dumpling once featured on the Food Network?

The dumpling was a fat individual apple pie with a flaking crust and hot spiced apple filling dripping with cream. For three bucks a piece this fall filler was a pleaser. The birch beer is an acquired taste though.

A local businessman beside us lunched on sloppy joes and coffee. He noted our accents, "you had cheesesteaks here?" he enquired, "because, you know that's like, how can I say it, it's like going to Heathrow Airport for fish and chips".

What a faux pas. I visibly winced. The very suggestion of an Airport providing a quality fish supper! I promised I'd try an 'authentic' cheesesteak ASAP (confession: I still haven't).

Wednesday - Hoagie

Surprising fact: The hoagie is THE official sandwich of Philadelphia, not the cheesesteak. As such, they are not without their controversy. The origin of the name is a little unclear for a start. A hoagie is a Philly twist on the ubiquitous submarine sandwich, reputedly named after Hog Island, Philadelphia, where Italians and other Europeans worked on shipbuilding for the World Wars.

Forget Subway or even local hoagie purveyor and 'Hoagie Day' sponsor WaWa for a decent Philly sub. A true hoagie comes from an Italian market, and one should contain enough meat for afternoon tea sandwiches for the whole British Royal Family.

Thursday - Thanksgiving Dinner

Turkey, sweet potato, and pumpkin. What else can I say?

Friday - Drive Thru

During the national hangover from America's favorite holiday, it seemed apt to get take-out. We opted for Popeye's Louisiana Fried Chicken, purely because it's fun for us Brits to order chicken with biscuits and end up with cheese scones rather than something to dunk in hot tea. I know this isn't authentic American Soul food by many measures, but the drive thru certainly is a US tradition. 

Saturday - Traditional US cuisine?

The City Tavern in Philadelphia is an interesting place. It's conveniently located in the vicinity of Philly's top historical tourist spots, for those visitors with a hankering for 1770s cuisine. 

Yes, the waiters are in period costume, the pewter goblets and tableware are for sale in the restaurant's gift shop, and the chef's DVDs and TV appearances are advertised to visiting diners. But it's not tacky; it's very enjoyable indeed. The beers, brewed traditionally, are very good.

Surprising fact: Did you know that Benjamin Franklin brought tofu to the USA? No, neither did I. 

The jury's out on on this one - I'm not certain it's true, for a start. The tofu tasted okay, but the other hearty dishes, a menu reflecting the USA's European colonial history,  looked far more appetizing. No fish supper though.

US food is, genuinely, not that bad

 

I hope I've convinced you, or even tempted you a little bit. And if not, not don't worry, we still have a lot of US food adventures to enjoy one day: Traditional BBQ, Asian-American cuisine, the birth of the American diner and the sad decline of roller carhops (yes! they still exist, you just have to know where to find them).

This huge country has so much to offer to tastebuds and huge appetites, I promise, though I'm secretly glad I don't eat like this every week.

What local USA foods do I need to try? And where DO I get the best cheesesteak?