Sports that make no sense to me ...

The good news for those who enjoy touring the States with me, via my pictures is… I brought a new camera. I saved up a little and got a Sony cyber shot, it’s not that fancy but the best part is that it is PINK!!!! Oh yeah, so it fits into my life perfectly! It takes really good pictures too, which of course is the real reason I got it, although my host dad (Dave) still thinks it’s just ‘cos it’s pink.

New camera :) So now I don't have to miss pictures like this (Milwaukee County Zoo)

I’m more of a cricket and rugby type of girl but since most American’s have never heard of cricket and they definitely don’t understand the appeal of rugby, I have had to convert. (But don’t worry I have my T.V recording South Africa rugby game so when my South African friends come over we can watch them)

Nadine, Monique, me *wearing our South African rugby jerseys* and Tamara

My conversion of South African to American sports started with Baseball. My State’s local team is called the Milwaukee Brewers (they are sponsored by Millers beer.) The game was on a Sunday starting at one (so I figured we’d be finished at 3 latest, ha ha!) For those of you that don’t know much about baseball, it is a very slow game, not the actually hitting or pitching, but the game that I went to took almost 4 hours! No jokes! This is largely due to the fact that you have 9 innings for each side. To end a team’s inning you need to get three of their players out. You get them out by either running them out or by pitching three balls that they fail to hit (strike.) Once you achieve this everyone on the fields switches, and in between this, they pitch a few practice balls, and the commentator has something going on so either it’s a competition, sports stats or random video that they show you.

Miller Park baseball stadium, WI

I know there are no rules involving foul balls and all that, but I not here solely to educate you on the rules and regulations of foreign sport, so I’ll leave it at that. During this time people get up and walk around doing pretty much whatever they want, which is strange for me I am used to rugby which is 40 minutes intense game play, an interval, and another 40 minutes intense game play…Then you go home to celebrate or try to forget the last 2 hours! Anyway, after all of that we went into extra time (or innings, not sure what you would call it) as The San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers were tied, after 3 more innings, we got a run and won the game! So my first game was really special, even if I did spend the first hour asking the one au pair, who knew about baseball, what was going on!

Au Pair group attending a baseball game at Miller Park, WI

Has anyone watched football before, and I’m not talking about your standard 5 min clip you see on most American stereotypical college movies. I mean like a whole game. If you answered yes, the next question may be a little trickier, and be truthful. Did you understand what was happening???

The isn't a pic of the Packers (however these are their colours) it's my friend Kevin's football team in CA

I went to watch a game with some of my American friends (at their house, not the stadium) and I tell you that is one complicated game, (mom) it may actually be more barrack than rugby! Plus you don’t even get to check out the cute guys as they are wearing tights and helmets, the former not the manliest attire while the latter totally hides their facial features. That aside, it is a really intense game. The rules are something like you get 4 plays to get a down (which is over the 10 foot mark or something like that), then you start all over again from the new mark and have 4 more plays to advance 10 feet more…and so on. Which sounds pretty boring and basic but believe me it’s quite fun to watch, although it is long game that involves a lot of strategy, but the nice thing is you can still watch and appreciate it regardless of how into the game you are. The Green Bay Packers (Wisconsin’s football team) won their game against the … um wait I can’t remember who they played … will get back to you on that. So Brody, Tyler and I were all hanging out before the game chatting and having fun, the game started and I kid you not Tyler turned into a monster…we were not allowed to look or talk to him cos “the PACKERS are PLAYING!” Wow dude…does he realize it’s only a game? Haha

I guess I shouldn't be surprised though...this is the Diary State, and the Packers are part "religion" here

A lot of firsts in a lovely country ...

I haven’t written in a while, so forgive me if I repeat anything! I am happily settled in the USA, and really enjoying the “All American Dream”. This place, Milwaukee is really the typical American city (like the cities you see in the movies) It is a super cute area where kids are safe and have freedom; they draw on the side walk, have lemonade stands and play out ‘til dark. It’s very American to say “out” as opposed to “outside”, so I keep asking “out where?”

The first of many chalk drawings

If I review the last month and a bit, I have seen a 4^th of July celebration, gone to two fantastic concerts and traveled through 5 States, visited Chicago and discovered the WONDERS of skype!

The 50 States of America

4^th of July was really fun, I wore an American flag Tee, jeans and Red, White and Blue shiny bead necklaces, I felt truly American...but when I heard the star-spangled banner (the American anthem for those that don’t know) that was the first time that I felt truly home sick…I just wanted to shout (yes, SHOUT) Nkosi Sikele Afrika! I youtubed it, just to hear the amazing voices of African harmony, then I made my host parents and their family listen to it. They all agreed we have an amazing diverse anthem, but knew that they would never be able to sing along.

No Doubt, wow that was awesome! To hear one of my favourite old school bands sing the words that made them famous, it was a spine tingling feeling. Unfortunately after indulging on a fantastic Mexican meal, I woke up with food poisoning! Luckily both my host parents are doctors so I spent the next day resting, drinking Gatorade and eating crackers.

No Doubt (google image)

Next was the Blink 182 concert, which I attended with a friend of mine, after staying away from the Mexican stand and on my way to concert bliss…I dropped my camera! But that was not going to get in my way of having a blast. There were 3 opening bands (one that we missed, but had never heard of anyway) Fall out Boy and Panic at the disco! WOW, WOW WOW! It took me back to the days of being a teenager (like last year…) where you truly feel like the band is singing to you, and about your problems, feelings and emotions.

Arati and I at the Blink 182 concert

The Windy City...

Summer is leaving us, which is pretty sad as I have really enjoyed summer time in Milwaukee. However the leaves are all starting to turn gorgeous red, and gold and slowly starting to fall. It is a wonderful season that we don’t see very often in South Africa…But it also means that winter is sneaking up on me! Since I have been here (4 months) clothing has doubled in thickness, to prepare for fall, I bet by the time winter is here I am going to be wearing my whole wardrobe just to leave the house (that’s if we not snowed in!)

Apple picking with AJ (one of the first really cold day)

A while back in Aug a fellow South African au pair – which I met during orientation, and who was with me for the 18 hour flight, of which she cried for 10 hours of it - and I decided to meet up in Chicago. She is staying in Boston, so this means she had a long journey, which she decided to do via bus (25 hours later…) I also went but bus a mere 3 hours in comparison. We had to run to catch the metro going to Glenview, where one of Ravashnie’s school friends (also an au pair) was fetching us. After arriving at Angie’s house, meeting the kids and her host mom, she was asked to baby-sit…I was like “are you kidding me???” I came to Chicago to baby-sit? My first night ever in Chicago was spent baby-sitting 4 over active kids, eventually the host dad came home so we decided to go out (just to drive around and see some night sights.) Another au pair (a Brazilian girl) met up with us, and we went for a drive, everything around us was closed except Walgreens (which is sort of like a Clicks) so we brought ice cream and ate it in the parking lot. After that we decided to rather go home and get an early night so we could be ready for sightseeing the next day. Unfortunately her host mom had arrived home and … locked the door! We arrived back home ready for sleep not quite dressed warmly enough for the chilly Chicago night only to discover that we were locked out! Angie had a key for the door, but not the screen door which was also locked! The Brazilian girl had dropped us off and left, so we were outside in the freezing our bums off! Ravash phoned Carla and told her to come back, so at least we could sit in a warm car while we plotted on how to break into the house. Nothing like 3 South African’s and a problem, you know what they say… ‘n boer maak a plan!

Ravashnie, Angie and I

After at least 3 hours of frantically phoning her host parents, breaking into the host dad’s car and garage, Carla’s car battery dying as well as the garage door battery …we were finally safe and sound, snuggly in bed J Needless to say we were super tired the next day, but did our fair share of sightseeing, when Ravashnie and I got on the bus Milwaukee-bound we were finished!

Me by Millenium Park Cloud Gate (aka The Bean)

*Hi-lighted words are explained in the glossary page

Feeling like a Ninja...

Some people reading this blog may have been to America, and a few may live in America…well this next post is for your entertainment, for those of you that have never been here (to the USA), don’t laugh-this is serious stuff! So America is a first world country with all the fancy bits and bobs…this includes automated, well, everything. When you go into a bathroom cubicle you are in actual fact facing a room that probably has just as much intelligence as you. The toilet has a sensor so it “knows” when you sit down, and once you stand up it “waits” like 5 seconds and then automatically flushes. I don’t know about you, but that kind of freaks me out, like what if I don’t move out the way fast enough? Then after wrestling with the toilet timing structure, you have the taps! This can be a tricky dance of its own. You wave your hand under the sensor of the hand soap, catch the soap, rub hands together, then hold them under the tap, but be careful not to move your hands away from the sensor otherwise the water stops. I have got the hang of this by now BUT, on one occasion I was helping Annabel (the girl I look after) to wash her hands. Picture this I’m holding her up and she has her hands under the tap – and it’s not working, so she waving at the tap, still no water, I start waving at the tap (one arm still around her) and no still no water…so we keep waving…only to discover that this is the ONE human operated tap left in Wisconsin.) Finally I find out how to activate it (push down hard) but this only renders a 5 second sprinkle, so it’s hold child, push tap, hold child again, push tap again…next dry hands. After looking for a button we realized that this was a standard “American” hand waving sensor paper towel dispenser!

Annabel and I (at a library fun day)

Time spent at the Jersey Shore ...

No, not that Jersey Shore...I am definitely not referring to the location of the trashy, "reality" TV show which is at present entering it's 4th season. Although I did tell my host parents I was going to tell everyone I went to the Jersey Shore, to which they replied... we took you to the nice part of Jersey!

Avalon, New Jersey

The week in Avalon was really great and it is a beautiful place BUT the most memorable experience was going to Wildwood, which is along the beach front and has lots of clothing stores, food stores and rollercoaster rides! So yes I rode the rollercoaster (and screamed like a little girl “we are gonna diiiiiiiieeee!!!”) but I went again and tried new ones too, so I guess I enjoy the near death experiences.

My first real rollercoaster!

The last few days in Avalon were spent traveling to the surrounding areas of Cape May and Ocean City. We played putt putt the one day, which apparently is not a good game for a 2 ½ year old to play as after the 5^th hole Annabel started to ‘gently’ kick the golf ball, pick it up and moving it or just walk away from it. We flew back home on the Sunday and as sad as I was to be “leaving” our vacation, I was excited to get back to Wisconsin as I have become rather attached to my new home in the States, plus I’ve been told  summertime is the best time to be in Milwaukee. Oh and just so you know where I am staying…

Mini Golf in Stone Habour, NJ

I am in Whitefish Bay (the Village of) which is 10 minutes from Milwaukee (the closest city, and the county we are part of) and it is in Wisconsin (that’s the state aka WI) So “we” as in WI is known for its cheese, dairy products and beer – go figure!

The Wisconsin State Quarter (google image)

I have had a little beer here and must say, I am no fonder of US beer as I am of SA beer, I would love a Hunters Dry if anyone wants to send one? I did see Black Label the other day, I was actually so excited I brought it, it tasted pretty close to ours, but when I read the labeled I realized that it was brewed here, in Milwaukee, USA.

The other thing I realized the other day while scanning through a “Sa food shop in the Us” (I know it’s so lame) is that we have pretty awesome food in Sa! I spoke to Des my aunt and she knows what it is like to oogle the Sa wares and dream of braai’s with Savannas, pap en wors. I have yet to attend a BBQ, football game or thanksgiving celebration but I feel that in my 70 or so days in the US of A I have already experienced many things that will leave a lasting impression on me.

Hilde and I on Brady Street, WI

*Hi-lighted words are explained in the glossary page

Our first vacation as an extended family ...

We left Milwaukee (Mitchell International Airport) on the 7^th of July in the morning. When I say “we” please bear in mind that this small two letter word actually means Dave (Host Dad) Amanda (Host Mom) Annabel (2 ½ year old girl) Finn and Braden (both 3 months at the time) and Me! After working out that there was no way “we” plus luggage would fit into the car (even though it’s so big) we decided to go by airport shuttle. I’m going to skim over the details but just keep in mind we were going through an American airport (so you take your shoes off going through airport checks) they even checked the milk Amanda brought in the bottles. While standing in line to go through airport check point we had a well-dressed business man that kept throwing causal glances our way, and I knew he was praying that “we” were lost and not boarding the same two hour flight as him. After boarding the plane and doing some serious rearranging as you cannot have more than 3 people in one side of a row on the two seats. (the original Game Plan was Annabel and I together, Dave, Amanda and both boys together but that made 4 on their seat, so I was moved to my own seat by the emergency exit (which is not allowed to have children in its aisle) and Dave went to sit with Annabel. I had space and I only had to promise that IF the plane should go down I would help the flight attendant, seems like a pretty fair deal to me!

This + me = "we"

The boys and Annabel were really well behaved (both ways) and on the homeward bound flight we even had someone say to the boys “you guys did well!” That was a relief! We flew from Milwaukee to Philadelphia which is in the state of Pennsylvania. *1^st state* We were “house sitting” for friends of my host family while they were exploring the Galapagos Islands. We stayed at the house for 3 days and in that time we went to the Aquarium, the Zoo (America’s first zoo) and a 4D movie, which for those for haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing, is a movie on a big screen with the 4^th dimension being the effects such as water being sprayed at you, air pumping into the back of your neck and things under your chair touching your legs, this is all while wearing 3D glasses so you feel like you are in the movie!

Annabel, Amanda and I watching a 4D movie

 I spent the next day on a hop on-hop off bus. I saw a natural world museum, the Ben Franklin museum, Liberty Bell, a few other sites (like the jail where Al Capone was held, but I never went into the jail) and of course the legendary Rocky Balboa (I think that was his full name) steps, where I ran up and did the famous jump (and got a picture of it!)

The rocky steps

Then my host parents drove down to Avalon, New Jersey and I got a lift with my host dad’s sister to Virginia *2^nd state* where I was to meet up with another South African au pair that I met at orientation. We met up and had a really awesome night (involving a bottle or two of wine and stories of home), and then contacted another South African au pair, and decided our plans for the next day…Washington D.C! We fetched Michelle and all three of us (Lorren, Michelle and I) got on the metro (the train system) and got off in the heart of DC. Wow, the president’s own home! We walked and walked and walked, as everything in Dc is pretty close together we decided this would be the easiest (and cheapest) way to explore. Yes, I saw the white house and all the other special DC landmarks but the thing that impressed me the most was the crime and punishment museum! It had CSI feel where you had to solve a crime by looking through the museum and finding clues. This involved a simulated high speed chase, crack the safe, scanning your fingerprints, escaping from a prison cell and even a cop shoot out. We spent about 2 hours there, and left with big smiles and many pictures! We caught the metro home at 8pm that night after a stop at Chinatown, which was really cool; all the signs were in Chinese (or Japanese?) except Nandos and Hooters. Crazy I tell you!

Lorren, Michelle and I at the Crime and Punishment Museum

 I stayed the night at Lorren’s house again, and then caught the metro back to DC on Sunday by myself, where I caught a bus to Philadelphia (Philly). Then I caught the New Jersey transit to Avalon. While booking my buses and making my plans my host parents thought I was either A: a crazy South African or B: going to get horribly lost and phone them from somewhere like Utah! But I made it! In the process I crossed Delaware *3^rd state* and Maryland *4^th state* and arrived in New Jersey *5^th state* I met up with my host parents in Avalon where they were having a family BBQ, so I got to meet a whole lot of people!

Waiting for my bus to New Jersey

*Hi-lighted words are explained in the glossary page

First month hi-lights ...

I really like the family I am with! They have really made me feel at home. My host dad (Dave) said his mission this year is to find me Biltong (this is after hearing me incorrectly and thinking I said Bull tongue...Yuk!) and my host mom is helping me to plan a trip to D.c and maybe to Disney world! (Yah!)

Yummy Biltong! (google image)

These are a few of the hi-lights of moving to Wisconsin so far...
1. Meeting a squirrel (luckily not at close range, as they kind of freak me out)
2. Pumping my OWN gas...ha ha what an experience. I washed the car windows too!

Filling the car with gas

3. Making friends - I have met 2 SA girls, 2 Brazilian girls, 3 German girls and 1 Norwegian girl. (Sounds like a scorecard rather than a friendship counter)
4. Buying tickets to see Blink 182 live in concert on the 4th of Aug!!!! (WOW super ampt for that!)
5 . My host mom (Amanda) and I planning to go see No Doubt on the 2nd of July

6. Hilde (my Norwegian friend) and I are planning to see Reliant K and Gavin DeGraw at Summerfest

Hilde and I at Summerfest

7. Ordering from Starbucks. Now you have to understand it’s not as simple as it seems, as there are so many choices PLUS you can tailor any of the choices to suit you. So finally you settle on something then you get asked what size you want, and no they don’t use Small, Medium and Large – they use Tall, Venti and Grande…but have to admit their drinks are pretty good J Just so you know at the beginging I would order whatever the first before me ordered…it helped me learn the menu a little better and exposed me to some nice and not so nice beverage options.

Hmmm...Starbucks (google image)

I think that is about all I can say about my trip thus far. I am going to Philly and New Jersey in July (7 - 19th) and I am sure that will mean more news worthy stories.

*Hi-lighted words are explained in the glossary page