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Be ready to get on line up for everything ..
Supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, we wait patiently, sometimes for an hour, to be seated, something that for us frenchies is unthinkable… For certain supermarkets or cafes like Starbucks, or even the cinema, we can book and order online and collect our order without having to wait and thus avoiding the queues. As for restaurants it is imperative to book in advance , several days preferably (minimum) and same goes for the cinema if we do not want to be faced with fully booked screens…
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Do not forget the tips
Here also is something that the French are not accustomed to and are usually used to leaving whatever change we find in the bottom of our coat pockets.. unless its payday and we are feeling generous and leave a bigger tip (but not so big) .. But here it is not a laughing matter. Tipping is a 20% minimum, which can quickly increase the overall cost of your bill at the restaurant, hairdressers or beauticians.. In short, for any service you can expect to add 20 %.. A fact which explains why the majority of Americans do not sit down to take their coffee or lunch .. because if we take away, we don’t need to leave a tip 😉
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Sorry but not sorry
Another thing in the US : time is money and even though the Americans are adorable, when they are in business mode, they do not hesitate to push or bump into you without so much as an apology if you are in their path, or you are simply not moving fast enough in the street, or on the subway during work hours… you have been warned …
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No more Sugar please ..
The same goes for the salt.. Here they are heavy-handed when it comes to condiments.. And an American pinch of salt is huge, just like the portions of the sometimes disproportionate dishes.. Everything is way too sweet, even soya milk, organic or not ! So if you do not want to gain 10 kg in your first week, try to choose food with no added sugar, “unsweetened ” when you do your weekly grocery shop.. And at Starbucks ask for a chaï tea latte for example and ask for 1 or 2 pumps instead of the usual 4 if you want to be able to appreciate your drink..
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Fuck**g AC ..
Last but by no means least , the air-conditioning.. yet another thing that I find perplexing with Americans is their precious Air con that they seem to be incapable of being without even when its cold outside …Whereas in Europe we tend to open the windows to air, and take advantage of the cool breeze, freshness and the sun, here, they barricade themselves in and put the air con on full blast, winter and summer which is increasingly unbearable for those who are not accustomed it to.
We are now well into December and numerous buildings and subway stations continue to use their air con on full for example. Its pointless telling you that in spring and summer the AC shoots out full blast, so if it is 20 or 30 degrees outside, do not be surprised with the impression of entering a fridge freezer when you go to the cinema, restaurant or any building or subway. So you need to ensure to always carry a coat or scarf with you all year round, if you do not want to catch tonsillitis in the middle of July.
No comment 😉
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The subway ..
Not really regular, the New York subways remain a mystery for me on certain points….
And apparently for the New Yorkers also.. They change routes at the weekend, certain lines change routes with others and vice a versa, and also they do not pass at regular intervals..
Thus if you want to be on time, plan ahead and allow more time than you actually need !
That being said, New York is a city full of surprises, an absolute must see of discoveries. Ideally it is best seen at the end of spring/beginning of summer before it gets too hot, or during autumn to appreciate the the big Apple and its beautiful blue sky. The period leading up to Christmas is also magical if you don’t mind the cold too much .. (about that, a new post with Xmas spirit pictures of NY is coming soon 😉
Bon Voyage and I hope you will appreciate NYC as much as I do !!
xxx
@tia
Translation @Natalya Paupe
