Trei luni in US, Philadelphia / Three months in Philadelphia

Romanian:

      Ho ho ho...Merry Christmas...sau Craciun Fericit:)!!!

      Uite ca suntem in perioada sarbatorilor de iarna si cum necum s-au facut 3 luni de cand suntem in SUA. Personal, mie imi pare ca a trecut mult mai mult timp. Probabil din cauza ca a fost o perioada foarte aglomerata in care am acumulat in scurt timp foarte multe cunostinte, am invatat o gramada despre cum merg lucrurile in America si, zic eu, am si avut cateva obiective pe care deja le-am atins:). Si, cum de obicei la final de an lumea sta si mediteaza, analizeaza, trage concluzii zic ca este timpul sa fac o recapitulare a ceea mi se pare mie ca inseamna America, mai exact Philadelphia, asa cum am cunoscut-o eu in aceste 3 luni. O voi lua intr-o ordine aleatorie cu liniuta de la capat asa cum facem la scoala :).

Ce-mi place in US?

1.    Sistemul in general pentru ca functioneaza atata timp cat indeplinesti niste conditii si respecti regulile. Cam orice greseala neintentionata se poate repara daca dai dovada ca ai vrut, dar nu ai stiut cum sa faci. De ex. am luat amenda pentru ca nu am stiut unde e parcarea vizitatorilor la facultate, dar le-am explicat ca nu am vazut semnul si am fost iertati. Sau ieri am iesit de pe autostrada din greseala pe la EZ Pass fara sa platim, la intoarcere am anuntat si am primit un tichet cu care vom plati doar taxa de autostrada fara amenda.

2.    Functionarii publici - o mare diferenta in bine fata de Romania. Toate situatiile in care am fost nevoiti sa avem de-a face cu functionarii publici au decurs foarte bine si fara nervii si frustrarea din Romania.

3.    Imi place ca la fiecare scoala la ora cand intra si ies elevii de la scoala exista la intersectii persoane responsabile sa traverseze elevii strada. Asta ca sa nu i se intample copilului nimic pana la autobuz sau pana la masina parintelui.

4.    Oamenii- sunt draguti, uneori parca prea draguti si foarte ajutatori. Daca te pot ajuta o vor face sigur. Daca te vad pierdut in spatiu sigur se opresc si te ajuta. Uneori, par prea draguti si nu stiu daca chiar asa sunt oamenii sau mintea mea de roman este scurtcircuitata (de multe ori in Romania esti in garda cand un strain este prea dragut si de treaba cu tine). 

5.    Magazine -  Stiam inainte sa vin aici dar acum e clar: consumul s-a inventat in SUA :). Sistemul este urmatorul la magazine: vii la noi, iti facem card de fidelitate, ai reduceri si-ti mai dam si cupoane ca sigur sa te intorci tot la noi sa-ti faci cumparaturile.  Aici reducerile sunt reduceri si ce-mi place este ca poti sa-ti cumperi lucruri la care in Romania poate doar ai visat sau poate faceai mari sacrificii sa le ai. Si aici includ hainele de firma care sunt mult mai ieftine, cosmeticele, electronicele.

6.    Cafea- Toata lumea aici bea cafea. La munca, la cumparaturi, oriunde ii vezi cu cate o cana de cafea in mana si cum eu sunt o iubitoare de cafea ma simt in largul meu :)

7.    Respectul fata de oameni - Este uimitor sa vezi cand te duci la un show de masini ca prezentatorul dupa ce se canta imnul zice ca va multumi anumitor oameni care au facut fapte bune pentru tara. Si tu te astepti sa fie niste invitati pe banca oficiala care au sponsorizat si care trebuie sa fie aplaudati. Ei bine nu e asa, el ii roaga pe cei care-si aud numele sa se ridice in picioare si incepe sa strige: politisti, pompieri, veteranii de razboi din Irak, Vietnam si oamenii chiar se ridica in picioare si restul salii ii aplauda pentru ca ajuta tara. Un gest atat de simplu dar cu atat de mare impact!

Ce nu-mi place in US?

1.    Scoala si sistemul medical pentru ca sunt scumpe. De aceea nu toti americanii au studii superioare sau asigurare de sanatate.
Legat de scoala asta nu inseamna ca daca o familie nu are bani, gata copilul nu poate urma o scoala buna. Este posibil, deoarece exista burse si alte circumstante prin care un copil bun la invatatura dar fara bani sa ajunga sa studieze la o scoala buna. Doar ca in acest caz este un pic mai multa munca de cercetare. De asemenea exista imprumuturi pentru elevi/studenti la care incepi sa platesti dupa ce ai terminat scoala, iar ratele sunt umane.
Legat de sistemul medical, sa primesti asigurarea de la angajator este un mare beneficiu dar nu toti il ofera. Serviciile medicale sunt scumpe, o consultatie la medicul de familie poate fi 75$-100$, la urgente costul incepe de la 500$, iar daca apelezi la ambulanta vorbim de cateva mii de dolari. Insa si aici, daca arati ca nu ai venit ca sa platesti atunci factura initiala se reduce considerabil. Stiu un caz care a primit factura de 700$ dupa o vizita la urgenta dar a platit doar 80$ datorita nivelului financiar scazut.

2.    Trafic - Fiind un oras mare exista si aici blocaje si mai ales la orele de varf si pe arterele aglomerate. Drumurile in oras nu sunt ,,ca in palma',' asa cum am intalnit in multe orase din Europa. Exista si aici soferi nervosi si agresivi, mai auzi cate un claxon la semafor, mai vezi pe unul ,,smecher care se baga'' etc. Ce ma deranjeaza cel mai tare este ca sunt distante mari dintr-un capat in celalalt alt orasului si ajungi sa faci cate o ora pana la munca. Fiind obisnuiti cu Brasovul unde in 15-20 minute erai unde voiai, aici mi se pare ca se pierde mult timp pe drum. Cata trebuie sa mearga 15 min cu masina pana la terminal, de unde ia metroul inca 25 minute pana in centru si apoi mai merge vreo 5 minute pe jos pana la birou. Daca ar merge cu masina, parcarea pentru o zi l-ar costa in jur de 20$/zi in centru.

3.    Oamenii frumosi din Europa sunt mai rari aici. Si cand zic frumosi ma refer la aspectul fizic. Americanul de rand este foarte relaxat, nu stie ce inseamna “nu se face”, se imbraca oricum, dar oricum (pot fi pijamale sau tricouri cu buricul gol cand ai 90 kg sau blugii cazuti la jumatatea fundului si prinsi acolo cu o curea). Sigur, in centru sunt alti oameni, dar marea masa considera frumos orice.

   Impresia dupa 3 luni de zile este ca SUA iti ofera mai multe sanse ca Romania sa ai un trai cel putin decent. Daca vrei sa muncesti, joburi sunt. Salariile, chiar si cel minim, iti ofera sansa unui trai decent. Nu trebuie sa lucrezi doar in domeniile bine platite sau sa ai job de manager pentru a avea chiar un trai bun. 

La multi ani!!!

English:

Ho Ho Ho…Merry Christmas!

We are in the holiday season and we realized that it’s been 3 month since we are in US. Personally it seems that we’ve been here much longer. Probably because it’s been a very busy period, a lot of new things in a short period of time, we learned a lot about their system and how things works around here. Usually at the end of the year people are analyzing and drawing conclusions I think it’s time for us to do the same. What I like and what I don’t like about US.

What I like?

1.       The system because in general works as long as you obey the rules and respect the conditions. A lot of mistakes if it’s done unintentionally can be fixed and can be waived if you can prove that you just didn’t know or that you just did a mistake. For example: I got a ticket for parking in the wrong place in the university campus but after I explained that we didn’t see the sign we were excused. Another time we exit the highway without paying because we use the lane for those with monthly pass. We announced it immediately and we will not pay the fine…just the normal fee.

2.       Civil servants -  a big difference from those in Romania. All the situations we had to interact with them was nice and easy. The process was smooth J without the frustration from Romania.

3.       I like that every school has people that take care of children that are crossing the street around the school.

4.       People – Are nice and sometimes maybe too nice and helpful. If they can help you they will. If they see you lost and unsure they will stop and ask you if you need help. They seem to nice sometime and I don’t know if they really are that nice or my Romanian mind is messed up ( in Romania you have to be careful if somebody is too niceJ)

5.       Stores – I knew this before but now it’ clear. Consumer industry was invented in US. The system is like this: you come to us, we give you fidelity card, discounts special offers anything just to make sure you will come backJ. Here promotions are really promotions and you can buy stuff that in Romania you only dream about.

6.       Coffee – everybody drinks coffee. At work, on the street, at shopping everywhere you look you see people drinking coffee. I love coffee so I like this very muchJ

7.       Respect – It’s amazing to see at an auto show that the announcer will start to thank certain people who did great things for others and for the country. And you expect to see all kinds of sponsors or politicians but the guy starts saying….policeman, fire fighters, war veteran, doctors, etc…and they stand up and people applaud them. A simple thing but very powerful.

What I don’t like about US?

1.       School and medical system  because they are expensive. That’s why not all Americans go to college or have health insurance.

About the school that doesn’t mean that if family doesn’t have money their kids can’t go to college. It is possible because there are scholarship and other ways to support yourself through college. In this case it is more hard work but it’s possible. There are also loans for students and you can start paying back only after you graduate.

About the medical system – to receive health insurance from your employer is a big thing. But not all employer offers this. Medical services are expensive and a simple visit to the doctor costs 75$-100$. If you go to emergency room is even more, from 500$ and up. But also there are ways to sort this out too. If you can prove your earnings are very low then your cost drops a lot. A know somebody who got the bill from emergency room – 700$. After he provided prove of low income he paid only 80$.

2.       Traffic – Being a big city you will see traffic jam especially on highways and at rush hour. The roads are not as smooth as I saw in many European cities. There are ,,big shots’’ that cut in line at the light or horning or swearing. What is most annoying are the big distances between everything. It can take you up to one hour to get from one place to another. We are used to Brasov where in 20 minutes you travel across town.

3.       Beautiful people are rarely here than in Europe. And when I mean beautiful I don’t mean the physical aspect. The American people is very relaxed, dresses anyhow and I mean you can see people shopping in their pajamas or the famous gangsta style.

The general impression after 3 month here is that US gives more opportunity than Romania. More chances for a decent living. If you want to work you can find jobs. Salaries, even the minimum one can give you a decent living. You don’t have to have only good jobs that pays well or manager jobs in order to live decent.

Happy New Year!!!