Good morning America

At the destination and I’m trying to type fast, because of going to church and Chinese restaurant to eat. :DD

Oh well, the travel went quite well, in New York we had some conflicts. At first, people weren’t too co-operative with us. They didn’t sell hamburgers for us at all, for a reason that I have no idea. So we bought hot dogs. And in television there was playing a viagra commercial that even had own tune. :DD Then I lost my passport but a kind man that had been looking at us for half an hour came and returned it. What else. Maybe the most clever question of the day: “we just came from Stockholm and they just took our bags… is it ok?!”. We really thought that they aren’t going to Florence, because we didn’t check them in again! Well, the flights were few hours delayed and on our way to Charlotte we had to circle above North Carolina for about half an hour before we were able to land. There was the top male “hostess”, I wonder if he wasn’t gay :D In Charlotte we ran the maximum speed to the gate because of thinking that the flight is departing in 10 minutes, but it was more than one hour delayed. The flight to Florence was the best! These people here in the south are totally crazy :D That hostess was running in the aisle of ca. 30 seated propeller plane and people were tapping. I was speaking whole flight with one man from Myrtle Beach, which was very nice and told me that everyone here in the south are so kind and where ever you go in countryside people will greet you and come to talk to you. Also, there was 2 persons who offered to host us. :D Wonderful country! At the destination Charlotte and Dave were waiting for us. Dave has funny jokes even I have sometimes difficulties with understanding him speaking. Speaking goes quite well, I woke up this morning half past five being not tired at all, even we came here in the middle of the night! It rained but it was warm. Not it’s even warmer.

The great downtown Charlotte

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8:41pm and the day has gone rapidly! It was quite different in church comparing to Finnish church. At first we went to some kind of “Sunday school” or something and I observed that Americans are more religious than Finnish, but it was quite nice that there was about 20 my aged youths. I also got few “friends” there, one maybe two years younger girl that lives in house opposite to our house. I only remember the name of the “youth minister”, he was Dan. The Mass was quite different comparing to Finnish one. At first the minister comes normally with a “cloak” on him talking loudly and joking. Then the “cloak” was thrown away and they started to sing some national songs wearing “Stars & Stripes Forever”- shirts. For a short moment I was pondering are they praising now United States or something else, until this Dan came and started shouting (well, talking loudly, very loudly) to microphone. That lasted, lets say, for about 15 minutes. Than everything became normal again. We were talking with some neighbors outside the church and left for Chinese restaurant that had totally delicious food. I mean for real, fantastic food there!

After coming home we were just chilling, tried to cycle with 3 sizes too small bikes until a thunderstorm caught us. It was raining extremely hard about 30 degree water, the asphalt was steaming, being so hot because of the burning Sun. I’ve never felt this hot weather and this is not even the worst possible day. It’s windy and sun is not shining as it’s whole shine. But no complaining! Sam- cat is nice. Lexi, Emily and some other girl from the neighbor visited here for some hours with a golden retriever, Sady or something. Another thunderstorm. Here is thunder showers almost every day, they say. If not, the plantations are suffering from hotness. And yes, we have some adorable miles long corn fields here. About one and a half meters long corn, I’d be so glad to run across the fields. I may know how to cycle to the center, that is about 2 miles from here. Everyone waves their hand to me here. They all seem so happy! Except in East Marion there was a “place for people who don’t want to work- the blacks, the poor ones”. They were quite sleazy. But here in West Marion and in Main Street area we have some really neat and fancy detached houses. Not a single high-rise here! Only detached houses and those blacks have some kind of row houses. That’s all! And almost forgot, DON’T EVER TASTE TOMATO JUICE, IT IS TOTALLY HORRIBLE. YUCK!!! Imagine you drinking ketchup that has lots of spice and salt. Ewwww….

Sam