9 things I'm still not completely used to

I should note that half of these still-strange-to-me things have to do with driving, and I've only been driving here for a few weeks.

Other than that I've lived here coming on 9 months.

(Doesn't anything that lasts 9 months make you think of having a baby?)

Well I'm not having a baby, but I am surprised at what still surprises me here in good ol US of A:

1) Turning right at red robots.

I often forget that this is allowed when safe to do so. Thankfully Spokane drivers don't honk, they are the politest drivers I've ever driven amongst. So sorry about that guys, I'm working on it.

2) Still not calling robots "traffic lights" like the rest of the normal English speaking world.

3) When people say 'rufff' instead of 'roof'

It makes me giggle every single time, it honestly sounds like a cute puppy barking. In my defense my accent is the odd one out around here, so I get to laugh in your face on the inside.

4) How blue-sky, short-shorts, forever-days, melt-my-ice-cream, sexy-yummy-hot the Spokane summer has been.

I think about this everyday. I love it, can you tell?

5) Putting our automatic car in 'park'.  I forget.

At least I'm walking to the right side of the car 8/9 times as opposed to the 3/9 times of earlier months.

6) Just how much I miss my friends and family still.

It's a crazy amount of a lot.

...sniff, sulk, throws self on floor like a Disney princess and sobs for 3 minutes.

I'm okay, moving on.

7) That leaving my handbag or cell on the passenger seat (for everybody to see), isn't the dumbest thing I've ever done.

I've not heard of one smash-and-grab incident here.

8) Speaking of that... The fact that walls (never mind electrical fencing and spikes) are not a thing here.

I still can't help looking into people's yard and front windows to see what they have, just because I can! So again, Spokane guys, sorry, that creeper is me. (but seriously, hang a curtain, that Mac computer on display is making me nervous)

9) How expensive it is to get to South Africa.

It's literally on the other side of the planet. Why! 

I'll check in with you guys again in a few months, see how my progress is going. Talk about rufffs and traffic lights and such, okay? 

Turns out i AM irish after all,

oh no, not really.

I'm as pure Afrikaans made as they get a.k.a  a real European cocktail.

but,

here in the USA everybody seems to find their long lost Irish roots on St. Paddy's day. I guess not only in the USA...but I went to the parade and drank green beer, so that counts right?

My first parade! I was excited.  Strangely not my first green beer.

The parade started off pretty much what you'd expect from any St. Paddy's day parade:

 (and I've come to expect so much after all these parade-less years)

In South Africa we have guys selling flags and such at traffic lights before anything eventful, everybody knows this. Here they have carts and this lovely man.

There were bagpipes, obviously

Irish people in green cars

Lord of the Dance back-up dancers with long red hair

Irish balloons, obviously

more Irish people

more bagpipes.... obviously

and Irishness

and green everything, because you know! Ireland! 

Then things started to get weird:

...

that's right

beauty queens,not that it's weird, just, you know! Ireland!

then these guys showed up, as they would

1st WEEKEND OF OCTOBER! DON'T FORGET!

this one goes out to my little sister, also, it's a dinosaur, a green dinosaur!

my lady considering some sushi...

hugs not drugs, right on kiddo

i... i got nothing.

rugby! but just not

still... i got nothing.

You guys, it was fun.

One of those, 'happy to be here in the strange land of the US with their strange ways' days.

I know, I know, it really isn't all that strange is it?