Joy and Austin: Pikes Peak or Bust?

[Queen]

You have moved on from the bridal party discussions long ago but I'm still going to give my 2 cents... 

I've never been a bridesmaid yet, though I'd love to experince that! A former friend of mine promised me and seven other girls from the same group of friends that we would be her bridesmaids when she got married. A year ago though, she decided that one of the girls had to go, because she was studying abroad so we hadn't seen her IRL for a while. Reasonable, maybe, but I got disappointed. I like(d) that girl. 

 The next person she cut out was me. We had indeed grown apart a little, but instead of an organic and slow ending to our friendship, she called me one night and cut everything. Well, I had been insensitive to her and not really understanding her needs (we are both trauma survivors, but we handle it in totally opposite ways), so maybe it was a wise decision on her part. I still wish I'd gotten a warning or something though, a chance to be better. I by no means meant to hurt her. But what's done is done. At least I have learned a lot! I envy the remaining six girls though. 

So, to not create drama myself I decided to maybe only include siblings and not friends in the wedding party. Because if I have any friends as bridesmaids, I'd have to pick and choose between them. I don't wanna leave anyone out but ~10 bridesmaids is a bit much for me. I want a medium-sized wedding, not a Duggar-sized one...  

[Audrey2]

8 hours ago, Iokaste said:

In the US, how ever much the scenery changes you are still in a relatively homogenous culture throughout the country. You can find the same products, restaurants, stores, brands, etc. The houses look mostly the same, people dress the same, watch the same TV and movies, eat the same and people speak the same language, maybe not as 1st language, but still as a "used everyday language". 
Americans love to point out the "huge" differences between different regions, and yes, there are of course different regional nuances, but all in all, those are just that: nuances of the same mainstream culture.

I'm not saying all those things don't differ within the US, but there they are more based on cultural or ethnic groupings than geographical ones.

 

While the major chains and several major products are available all over the United States, there are a lot of regional food chains (grocery stores were discussed on another thread) such as Burgerville in the Northwest, In and Out in California (which hasn't branched into other states for that long), Backyard Burgers in the south (yum!), Blakes Lotaburger in New Mexico, and  Runza (really interesting sandwiches) in Nebraska, among others. I also know about food products that aren't exactly considered Ethnic Foods, but are still very regional. One big example is Duke's mayonnaise. I enjoy reading books by southern authors who are always talking about Duke's, but it's not readily available on grocery store shelves across the U.S. Another example is one of my favorite foods- ham salad, which can easily be found at the deli counter of grocery stores in the midwest, but is very difficult/impossible to find in the Northwest. (My Wal-Mart hasn't carried it in the prepackaged cold deli for a few years, and that's the only place I could find it.)

[faraway]

I'm going on vacation this wednesday (the beach is calling) and I'm a little disappointed to be leaving here now that Joy & Austin are roaming the streets.  Since they started off in the Western part of the country I bet later this week or early next week they will get to my stomping grounds and I'm not here to witness it. There goes my chance of seeing a Duggar in the wild. 

[VineHeart137]

Whatever part of Switzerland they are in, it looks beautiful.

 

[Mayluka]

All of their pictures together are starting to look the same to me, but at least Austin looks a lot more relaxed/happy and less intense/creepy like in previous pictures.

[Percy]

Beautiful spot, putting that on my wish list

 

[jacduggar]

4 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

While the major chains and several major products are available all over the United States, there are a lot of regional food chains (grocery stores were discussed on another thread) such as Burgerville in the Northwest, In and Out in California (which hasn't branched into other states for that long), Backyard Burgers in the south (yum!), Blakes Lotaburger in New Mexico, and  Runza (really interesting sandwiches) in Nebraska, among others. I also know about food products that aren't exactly considered Ethnic Foods, but are still very regional. One big example is Duke's mayonnaise. I enjoy reading books by southern authors who are always talking about Duke's, but it's not readily available on grocery store shelves across the U.S. Another example is one of my favorite foods- ham salad, which can easily be found at the deli counter of grocery stores in the midwest, but is very difficult/impossible to find in the Northwest. (My Wal-Mart hasn't carried it in the prepackaged cold deli for a few years, and that's the only place I could find it.)

I'm going to second this. I grew up in Utah and moved here to Michigan, where I've been for over 20 years. They are completely different, but I suppose since a Walmart can be found in both states and both states primarily speak English everything is all the same, right? 

[Bad Wolf]

I think selfies do look similar. @Mayluka

The worst experience I had was leaving Heathrow to come back to the US. My teenage daughter (who definitely looked suspicious lol) sailed through. I had my suitcase searched and was grilled as to why I was there, and what I was doing in the US. I was in the UK because my mother died. I probably did look shell shocked, but that didn't slow them down.

Just want to add that I am humbled and in awe of how well our members who do not have English as a first language are able to communicate.

 

[marmalade]

Hey Austin, here's a tip. Enjoy the beauty of nature...created over millions and millions of years, not by Intelligent Design in 6 days.  

I don't think I'm going to like this kid much. He seems pretty sanctimonious. 

[SapphireSlytherin]

I grew up in the South and had never heard of Duke's until I saw a TV commercial about a year ago.

But I've traveled the USA extensively, and yeah - although so many things are the same (Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Walmart, Target), their merchandise/offerings vary greatly. There are McD's and KFC and Subway in the UK, but you go into one and try to order your "normal" order and all you'll get is blank stares.

Case in point:  Starbucks. Tell me how you order your coffee:  Grande coffee, please with room for cream, right? (Assuming you'd drink it that way.) Your barista in the UK would give you an incredulous stare and say: but we don't have cream. You follow up with:  room for milk. They respond:  semi-skimmed? It's such a flipping pain in the ass. lol  

Back to the "sameness" of the USA, there's a book called 'The Geography of Nowhere' that's an excellent read on this subject.

[Kangaroo]

44 minutes ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

Case in point:  Starbucks. Tell me how you order your coffee:  Grande coffee, please with room for cream, right? (Assuming you'd drink it that way.) Your barista in the UK would give you an incredulous stare and say: but we don't have cream. You follow up with:  room for milk. They respond:  semi-skimmed? It's such a flipping pain in the ass. lol  

I had so many questions reading this part:

What is a Grande coffee? I looked it up, it appears to be the size, not a type of coffee.

But what type of coffee do you want? This is when I remembered Americans don't really have different types of coffee like we do here. I was thinking the Grande part was the coffee but I appear to be wrong.

I understand we have milk instead of cream, but I have no idea how you leave room for that. 

 

Ordering a coffee in Australia:

1) Pick what type of coffee you want: Cappuccino, Latte (Caffe, Caramel, or  Chai?), Flat White, Long Black, Short Black (is this also an Espresso?), Macchiato or Iced coffee?

2) Do you want full cream, light, skim, almond, soy or lactose free milk? Some places have other option too!

3) Any sugar? Some places will add it when you order. 1, 2 or 3? White or brown?

3) Size: Small/Regular/Large or do you want a  cup or mug?

Plus a sprinkle of chocolate powder on top of course! If you ask for cream, I feel like some places will try and put whipped cream on top. Probably not a good idea.

 

[seraaa]

@VineHeart137 Judging from the caption, it seems like they're in the Bernese Oberland.

This is really making me want to go to Switzerland.

[Palindrome]

Why the Bible verse with every photo? Cool your boots, Austin. Agree with @marmalade – sanctimonious is the right word. I wouldn't want to be sat at the dinner table with him, that's for sure. 

[marmalade]

7 minutes ago, Kangaroo said:

I understand we have milk instead of cream, but I have no idea how you leave room for that. 

LOrdering a coffee in Australia:

1) Pick what type of coffee you want: Cappuccino, Latte (Caffe, Caramel, or  Chai?), Flat White, Long Black, Short Black (is this also an Espresso?), Macchiato or Iced coffee?

2) Do you want full cream, light, skim, almond, soy or lactose free milk? Some places have other option too!

 

 

In the states, they just don't fill the coffee to the top of the cup to "leave room" for the cream. The customer puts the cream, milk, whatever, in their drink themselves, except for Almond milk, which I've never seen out on the coffee condiment counter where all the other dairy choices reside with the varieties of sugars, chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla sprinkles for the top. 

We have all of those kinds of coffee. I would equate your "black" to espresso. But all of the other terms are in regular usage here. 

[SapphireSlytherin]

10 minutes ago, Kangaroo said:

I had so many questions reading this part:

What is a Grande coffee? I looked it up, it appears to be the size, not a type of coffee.

But what type of coffee do you want? This is when I remembered Americans don't really have different types of coffee like we do here. I was thinking the Grande part was the coffee but I appear to be wrong.

I understand we have milk instead of cream, but I have no idea how you leave room for that. 

 

Ordering a coffee in Australia:

1) Pick what type of coffee you want: Cappuccino, Latte (Caffe, Caramel, or  Chai?), Flat White, Long Black, Short Black (is this also an Espresso?), Macchiato or Iced coffee?

2) Do you want full cream, light, skim, almond, soy or lactose free milk? Some places have other option too!

3) Any sugar? Some places will add it when you order. 1, 2 or 3? White or brown?

3) Size: Small/Regular/Large or do you want a  cup or mug?

Plus a sprinkle of chocolate powder on top of course! If you ask for cream, I feel like some places will try and put whipped cream on top. Probably not a good idea.

 

So basically, what I *want* is a "filter coffee" - which may or may not exist in Australia. (ASSuming you're in Australia, based on your user name.) I just want a cup of coffee - it's a drink made by running hot water over ground-up coffee beans. And then I add milk (generally whole milk - not skimmed or semi-skimmed). For Americans:  semi-skimmed is 2%.

Grande is a size at Starbucks. They have Tall, Grande, and Venti (small, medium, and large). 

So generally, I give up and order a latte, which I really don't like - but it's the closest thing to a cup of coffee with cream (milk) in it.

[marmalade]

@SapphireSlytherin Just order the size, kind of coffee you want (dark, light, decaf), and tell them "with room." Then you go to the condiment counter and add your milk. Easy peasy!

eta: Can you tell that I'm more passionate about coffee than JoStin?

[QuiverFullofBooks]

Also, "takeaway" (British) = "to go" (US).

[onekidanddone]

7 hours ago, Audrey2 said:

Blakes Lotaburger in New Mexico

Oh yea!  Don't forget to add the Hatch. I've also had Whatabrurgers in Albuquerque and  Shreveport, Louisiana. We have Duke's and I've bought it a few times and liked it.

[loveformusic]

After not having checked this thread since the day of the wedding - I thought by now Austin & Joy would have at least 20 posts up on their Instagram. Relieved to see it's only 3. The most recent one from today, though, in Switzerland is very nice! I'm also once again amazed at how beautiful Joy is. I hope she's happy!

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

43 minutes ago, Palindrome said:

Why the Bible verse with every photo? Cool your boots, Austin. Agree with @marmalade – sanctimonious is the right word. I wouldn't want to be sat at the dinner table with him, that's for sure. 

I'll cut him a little slack, it is literally the only thing he knows.  He's never been allowed to do anything other than read the bible and I doubt he's ever really traveled much outside of the south.  He has no other way to express himself but through bible versus. 

[karen77]

Finally caught up!

Here' s my bucket list vacay that hubby and I are planning in about 5 years (when youngest is 9 and can be left with Nana for 3 weeks without us)

Khumbu valley trek to Everest Base Camp!! 

We honeymooned in France and Italy, and I SOOOO want to go back, just not with a 4 year old.

[Iokaste]

14 hours ago, Irishy said:

English people, I find not so friendly. Painting with a very broad brush here I know, and I've got English friends I adore... but I just don't love their reserve. For example I stopped a guy at a train station in London recently (staff!) and he was completely horrified that a stranger was asking for directions. Whereas in Ireland people just love to talk for any reason. I was so bemused by the poor guy. Huge sweeping generalisation I know, but I feel it.

That's so funny, I love their reserve :-)
It's probably that as a Scandinavian I've been taught to respect people's privacy, even in the public space since I was a child. I find it super exhausting travelling in southern Europe, the US and other places where small talk and chit-chat to complete strangers is seen as friendly and appropriate behaviour. 
I do try, but I'm afraid I often come across as cold and reserved when travelling outside Scandinavia/England, since my default is to ignore strangers, but trust me: it is meant as a courtesy and a way to give you space and respect your boundaries, not to let you know that you are insignificant and I don't like you :-) 

[Iokaste]

18 hours ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

I wouldn't say that, it is most definitely geographical here as well. if/when you travel to different regions of the US you will really see it.  I haven't been to the deep south since I was a very young child, being in the Midwest with minimal vacation time & funds  you are limited in where you can go. I have been to Portland OR & DC several times and I can promise you that the two worlds are as vastly different as what I imagine life in England vs the Italian country side is. DC is fast past aggressive, cultured almost cut throat and Portland is full of laid back, free spirits who are masters of you do you.  Yes I'm over generalizing but the vibes are very different and so are the people. There are TV shows about moonshiners down south and bush people in Alaska then in TX you have that fuck you I'm my own boss ain't no gubmint gonna tell me what to do (but these people are scattered about rural areas all around the US).  So yes it is as geographical here as it is in Europe. 

Like I said, I have travelled in all parts of the contiguous 48 states: both coasts, midwest, mountain west, north east and south, and yes, there definitely are regional differences, but the similarities are much bigger than they are within Europe. 
Take something like the public school system, in the US it is pretty much based on the same didactical thinking and understanding of pedagogy and learning. Where as there are huge differences within the EU.

Someone else here gave the example that they counldn't find a specific mayonaise in some states or a deli salad or something, but that's what I'm talking about, you have regional varieties, but they are not fundamentally different. And the differences between city-people and country-people are pretty much the same there as here, in my experienc, but again it doesn't constitute a different culture.

[subsaharanafrica]

As a dual national with both an EU and US passport I'm not really on either side of this discussion but I do feel compelled to point out that there are places in the continental US with vastly different cultures and languages used: New Mexico is, by its constitution, bilingual. The Reservations belonging to the Iriquois Confederation in Upstate NY, same with some large areas of the Southwest (like around the Navajo reservation). While Spanish has no official status in Florida, it is easier to get around in much of Miami with Spanish than it is with English.

And don't forget that you can go to Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Somoa without needing a passport because you're not leaving the country. 

Assuming that the US is all culturally the same is what leads to some rather uncomfortable interactions like one I witnessed in Schiphol where someone working for the airline was berating a Puerto Rican couple (with US passports, because Puerto Ricans are US citizens) for not speaking English. 

ETA: I will also throw this out there: I grew up in the Midwestern United States. My mother is an immigrant from non-English speaking Western Europe news which I have also spent years of my life. I feel as culturally different from people on the west coast of the United States as I do from the Brits. And practically speaking (from experience) it is easier for me to work as a lawyer in various parts of Europe on my East Coast State law license than it would be for me to work in California, where I hold be forced to take their exam and get a new license. 

[MadeItOut]

8 hours ago, VineHeart137 said:

Whatever part of Switzerland they are in, it looks beautiful.

 

Oh my word, Kandersteg - I was thrown off a horse round there.

I wonder how they are processing that? I was working there around the same maturity level (the summer I was 14/15) and the views were absolutely mindblowing. I spent a lot of time thinking about quantum, faith, history, people, life, and re-reading Sophie's World and The Solitaire Mystery and still had a near permanent headache trying to make sense of the sheer scale and beauty of it all. I just can't even begin to work out what that would be like with only one frame of reference.

...and sometimes it's okay, but this time, that 'a' in place of 'an' is really screaming off the screen.