I’ve only been back in the US for two days now, and I’ve had limited mobility, but I have some first impressions to share.  It will be interesting to see if these change with time, or possibly with location, as I meet more people and travel more widely.

Looking out of the airplane window as I flew in to Nashville, I was stunned at how green and vibrant everything here is.  I think I’ve had this reaction every time I’ve returned to the US, but it continues to take me by surprise.  Australian greens are muted and compromised by an infusion of grey, but here in Tennessee the humidity is high and the trees and grasses seem so emphatically and unreservedly alive. 

Life is everywhere.  Last night I came home at dusk with lightening bugs dancing like tiny sparks of magic all around me.  On my morning run today I startled a red squirrel, who ran up a nearby tree and hung upside down, chattering and scolding me.  A hare ran across my path and into an adjoining field, astonishing two donkeys enjoying the morning sun.  With no parrots to produce raucous squawks, the birdsong is delicate and musical.  Last night as I sat on the porch, a deer walked gracefully down the street.

As for the people I’ve met, from waitresses to drivers of other cars, they have been uniformly polite and friendly.  My travel plans and the fact that I’ve lived in Australia for so long are great talking points, of course, but the way people have asked questions is inquisitive without being intrusive.  It’s difficult to describe what I mean.  Of course I’m used to people asking how I’m doing today when I first meet them, but I’ve noticed an intonation here that implies that the asker is genuinely interested in the answer, not just asking as a courtesy.  Perhaps it’s just a mannerism, but if so, it’s a lovely one, making me feel part of a community already, and not just a stranger and a curiosity.  Drivers have been cooperative and not competitive, allowing other cars to merge and traffic to flow.

So there are a lot of positives so far, but are there any negatives?  Well, a couple.  I know it’s cliché, but the coffee is absolutely terrible!  Before I moved to Australia I drank drip coffee like everyone else here, but now… yes, it tastes like dirty dish water.  Starbucks does an acceptable flat white, but I need to find a better solution for my morning fix, or else revert completely to drinking tea.  And paper checks/cheques.  I’ve gotten so used to pay wave on my credit card that the way money is exchanged here seems rather primitive, and paper checks are still a norm.  Portion sizes are quite large and food is inexpensive, but healthy food is easily available, so eating well shouldn’t be a problem.

One thing that seems conspicuously absent is any form of political advertising or commentary.  Because I was following the presidential race so closely, and with a sense of horror, from Australia, I suppose I thought that it would be everywhere here.  But if I remember correctly, it may be considered polite and friendly to avoid talking to strangers about possibly controversial topics such as politics or religion.  So perhaps I’ll see more about the election in time.

So overall, I’m cautiously optimistic about this trip.  I do feel like a foreigner here, not sure of protocols and etiquettes any more.  But if everyone continues to be friendly and patient, then I’m sure I’ll learn quickly and get along fine.  But the coffee… something must be done!