I'm still alive, I promise

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Geo: 42.3585, -71.0596

I know I have been really quiet over the last 3 weeks but things have become very busy. Americans take the festive season very seriously and the madness comes along with all the festivities.

I spent my first ever American Thanksgiving in Boston and all I can say is that I've never seen so much food in one sitting than I did that day! My host family and their family went out of their way to make vegetarian food for me. One of my favourite dishes was the Pumpkin Pie- a famous American tart served with vanilla ice-cream. The weather was cold and wet but Boston is a really pretty place, I would definitely go back during the summer months but I would give winter a skip as the sun goes down at 4pm and along goes the temperature with it. We got to visit the science museum and I was in my element! They have the coolest experiments and it was practically like being on your own episode of Mythbusters. I was fortunate enough to have a Sangria filled evening with two of my South African friends, Jenna- I worked with her and we went to the same school and River- Met him in Thailand and now we are on the same continent again. The Boston trip was short but sweet and a good break from the morning rush.

The weeks after Thanksgiving I have been shopping, seeing all the museums in DC and more shopping. There are too many cool bargain shops, a shopaholic would have a huge problem. Got a pair of Tommy Hilfiger snow boots for $40 which is a steal considering they can go for $120 at other stores. Lucie, Ritana and I seriously have a problem staying away from these good deals. The weather has been cold which is a wonderful excuse for me to take myself shopping with my hard earned money.

I have learnt how to change my own light bulbs- yes dad I no longer need you for that anymore, although I almost fell off the counter top whilst changing them. I still need to get used to the fact that you have to put your own gas in, every time I pull up to a gas/petrol station I expect someone to come and do it for me and it took the person in the car beside me to give me the "why are you sitting there waiting" look for me to realise I need to get out in the cold and do it myself...first world problems... You also have to check and bag your own groceries which is also something I'm not used to and getting asked for ID upon purchasing ciders! in South Africa I was 16 and a half when I bought a six-pack of cider and a bottle of vodka.

This whole live-in au pair thing is definitely not an easy task, you are given free time to do whatever but your time is never really free until you actually leave the house as you always feel obligated to help even if it is not expected for you to do so. The kids have been sick so many times and of course they love their cuddles so they pass these wonderful germs onto you and the cycle is vicious. When you aren't feeling well or if you're down in general, mom is not down the passage or a phone call away to help the feeling subside and there is no more pharmacist lady shoving pills down my throat, there is a 7 hour time barrier which forces you to carefully plan a phone call and if you're down or homesick in the afternoon your best friends and parents are already asleep back home. There is a positive to this whole experience, I have become so much closer to a lot of people especially my dad as he actually has to put his phone down and listen to me speak as he can't minimize WhatsApp calling.

The nightlife here is also very different, well of course there isn't any 12 year olds running around but all the girls dress up and make an effort which is a big deal for the girl who only wears mascara and sneakers out. I've painfully learnt how to spend an entire night in heels with the help of my dear friend tequila, P.S dad, I can handle my tequila better than these American boys!
I am going to New York, New York for my New Years Eve festivities with the girls and I cannot wait to welcome new American adventures into my 2017. I will try and write as much as I can, it has just been difficult as things have become really busy and reality has hit me hard, thankfully the boys have a 2 week winter break coming up.

Oh and driving around here is the craziest thing, it makes Johannesburg and Cape Town driving look like childs play! I can no longer call Gauteng drivers terrible as Maryland drivers are 10x worse.

Bye for now,

Princess Unicorn

xx

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