Arrivals
Friday morning was a little stressful. The Post Office and the bank were in cahoots to bring me down emotionally and financially, I'd forgotten to print off important documents, and I snagged a pair of knickers (promise not all posts will reference my smalls).
Issues aside, a few hours later I had bumbled through security and found my plane where I was blessed with silent, slim fellow passengers. No extender seat belts in sight. Phew. I had, however, convinced myself that I'd be back on British soil within 24hrs. The reason being I'd spent too much time reading horror stories of the infamous American immigration system (a neurosis only furthered by current politics...) I had vivid visions of sitting in a clammy, windowless room, with a guy named Jerry spitting pistachio shells onto the floor, refusing me entry to the glory land.
What actually happened was all quite straight forward. The usual questions, when I was leaving, was I a terrorist etc. And then real life Jerry took me aback. "What do you do in England, ma'am ?" What ?? Why was he making conversation ? This wasn't in the script. Paul Theroux says that "solitary travel offers a sort of special license allowing you to be anyone you want to be". I may have taken this to heart as I heard myself spouting off about being a "high school English teacher". I mean, really. This is not a profession I'm in, have ever been in, or plan to be in (besides which, do we even have high schools ??). And yet there I was, nodding and smiling at the joy of such a noble profession I was proud to be a member of. Pressure affects us all in weird ways. For me it's assuming an alter ego.
This report comes to you from outside Americam Revolutionist Paul Revere's house, so you can be assured I'm safely on American turf. Yesterday took me to Harvard and MIT. I am comfortable in telling you that walking around Boston I feel entirely stupid in a city that seems to be busting with scientific research, graduate schools, medical breakthroughs, institutes steeped in academia. But that's fine because I'm learning lots (like, did you know you can get a large Dunkin Donuts coffee for $2.50 ?? Everyday is a school day.)
Issues aside, a few hours later I had bumbled through security and found my plane where I was blessed with silent, slim fellow passengers. No extender seat belts in sight. Phew. I had, however, convinced myself that I'd be back on British soil within 24hrs. The reason being I'd spent too much time reading horror stories of the infamous American immigration system (a neurosis only furthered by current politics...) I had vivid visions of sitting in a clammy, windowless room, with a guy named Jerry spitting pistachio shells onto the floor, refusing me entry to the glory land.
What actually happened was all quite straight forward. The usual questions, when I was leaving, was I a terrorist etc. And then real life Jerry took me aback. "What do you do in England, ma'am ?" What ?? Why was he making conversation ? This wasn't in the script. Paul Theroux says that "solitary travel offers a sort of special license allowing you to be anyone you want to be". I may have taken this to heart as I heard myself spouting off about being a "high school English teacher". I mean, really. This is not a profession I'm in, have ever been in, or plan to be in (besides which, do we even have high schools ??). And yet there I was, nodding and smiling at the joy of such a noble profession I was proud to be a member of. Pressure affects us all in weird ways. For me it's assuming an alter ego.
This report comes to you from outside Americam Revolutionist Paul Revere's house, so you can be assured I'm safely on American turf. Yesterday took me to Harvard and MIT. I am comfortable in telling you that walking around Boston I feel entirely stupid in a city that seems to be busting with scientific research, graduate schools, medical breakthroughs, institutes steeped in academia. But that's fine because I'm learning lots (like, did you know you can get a large Dunkin Donuts coffee for $2.50 ?? Everyday is a school day.)
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