Taking Portland's MAX light rail from the airport to the bus station I noticed several things our great country has to offer: Target, parking, Best Buy, parking, IKEA, so much parking. The lots are "nice," mind you, dotted with trees on islands between rows of parking spaces. But the "nature" was not really natural. The artificial look of trees sprouting up throughout extensive pavement, simply put, disgusts me. I nearly booted in my hiking bag. Good thing the protective rain cover was on.
Hilarie's home, a meat-free house inhabited by five female Portlanders, is where I spent my first few days back in the United States. From the front stoop/yard, the view is predominantly of Fred Meyer (and its parking lot). The natural health clinic and Vietnamese pho restaurant can also be seen from the stoop (their parking area, a much more modest eight or so spots). The Chase Bank sign illuminates the kitchen and upstairs bedroom windows at night. Jiffy Lube also resides on that side of the house, its sign even higher than that of Chase.
Oh, America, I thought. You're so weird. Perks? The beer selection at Fred Meyer was brilliant. I'm used to Cass and Hite and overpriced Bud, Tiger, Tsingtao, Heineken, and Hoegaarden. In fact, the selection of everything was quite overwhelming. Do you know how many brands of toilet paper there are in the average American supermarket? It's ridiculous. Just look at the aisle of spaghetti sauce. In Korea there is ONE kind of spaghetti sauce in a normal neighborhood bodega. It may have a meat and mushroom variety, but that's if you're lucky.
In Korea, seasons still matter when it comes to availability of certain fruits and vegetables. Of course things are still imported, but farmers haul their crops into the city in truckbeds and blare annoying gargling nonsense which I interpret as "strawberries, strawberries-hamnida" or "cabbage, cabbage-hamnida" (-hamnida is a polite ending in Korean). But Americans like more choice. And maybe they like to pull little Veruca Salt's and demand things NOW. Who cares if it's December and you want a durian? You can go on out and get one. It might cost you, but it's available somewhere.
After leaving Hilarie's and moving to Stacy's, I had to sort out my own excess. I'd been keeping my belongings in a storage unit and decided paying for it was ludicrous. In that 10'x10', we had SO MUCH STUFF. Just stuff. Aside from the kayak, bed, table, chairs, and desk, there were boxes and boxes and tubs and tubs full of... junk.
Much sorting took place, and by post yard sale and post Good Will drop-off, we had halved our belongings. That felt pretty good. But, I still have a bunch of crap sitting in stacks of boxes at Hannah's parents' house. Nothing anyone would want to steal...just clothes, photo albums, art from China, a teapot. Stupid things. I haven't seen or used them in over a year, but it seems silly to just get rid of them. Sigh. I'm sure I'll like them in my home when I come back someday.
But for now, I'm just visiting. It should be a good summer. Oregon to Washington to Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Washington. Excessive? Am excited to revisit some USA nature (not just cities of cement). Already had a little wilderness excursion, a 36-mile bike ride, drive through gorgeous mountains and river gorges. Looking forward to more.
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