A Few Differences

Hi friends: Writing from Houston, Texas! We’ve been back in the USA for about a week. Jet lag is starting to break!

My dear American friend in Portugal asked me to let her know things that hit me funny when I got back “home”. I thought I’d write a post about it. I think after flying back home from Europe several times for the past 8 years that I would not be surprised by things. I expect to be overwhelmed by the hugeness of SUV’s and trucks on the highway as well as central air and heat. So it has been fun to take note this time of what was unexpected.
Please don’t be offended by what I’ve noticed or commented on. I know the list might be long if you were to visit my other home in Portugal!  Here we go:

bling belts and purses at the sporting goods store

1. Girls with messy hair in sports outfits at restaurants and stores
2. Churches everywhere--not historical pieces of architecture but mainly khaki metal flat roofed buildings
3. The friendliness of Chick Fil A staff
4. Extremely soft toilet paper
5. Souped up cars
6. Yellow egg yolks! What are the chickens in Portugal eating that is different from here?
7. Enormous drinking glasses at restaurants and being sold in stores. A Portuguese might mistake them as pitchers.

Note the decal on the windshield!

We're headed to visit my mother-in-law in Alaska next. Another cultural experience ahead!