ten observations after ten days in the U.S.:

1. restaurant servings are shockingly huge. literally shocking.
2. indoor places--like malls and airports--smell like sugar.
3. people say thank you a lot. thank you thank you thank you, no thank you.
4. strangers smile at each other when they pass on the sidewalk.
5. people often pretend that they understand what someone else is talking about, even when they don't (which i know isn't unique to the US, but i'd forgotten how often it goes on here).
6. this country is crazily segregated.
7. it's amazing how much toilet paper you can put in a toilet and it still won't clog.
8. so much goes to waste. ha. that's funny, considering number 7.
9. people are invested in reality television.
10. obama isn't such a big deal any more. kind of incredible, kind of sad.