American things, good and bad.

Everyone who moves across countries and continents probably knows the feeling of "but this thing was better in place X". First year or two, you get stuck missing food and way of doing things from your previous home country, and talking about the things that were so much better back at home. Well, I know myself and I know that I will be doing this anywhere I go. So, I've been thinking recently about the aspects of America and California that I will miss one day.

• Customer service. You truly can ask for things the way you like them. Nothing is ever too outrageous a request, and when it is, suitable compromise is being worked with a smile. I've never felt that the friendliness of the servers was fake, and I'm getting too used to the speed at which food is being brought out at restaurants. Returns policies are really extensive (e.g. REI allows returns for a year!) and easy even when shopping online.
• Shopping online. Even when living in a small town where shopping options are limited, it's easy to buy whatever you might want just with a couple of clicks and the items arrive in a couple of days to your doorstep. I regularly buy shoes, clothes, cosmetics and electronics online, but I've also bought non-standard items like custom-made clothing, decorative fabrics and art supplies. 
• Friendliness and genuineness of people. Before to moving here, I thought that Americans are fake and no one can truly be that friendly, but I'm happy to report that I was absolutely wrong about this!
• Sense of community. As the social security system is minimal, people really look after each other. Also, Davis is such a small town that people readily organize small events themselves and everyone is made to feel welcome. Most extreme example of community efforts has been Burning Man and related events, where large groups of people come together to build stunning (yet temporary) art and welcoming community. 
• Opinions and open discussions. People are not afraid to debate, to exchange ideas and views, and I feel this is the best manifestation of the American freedom.
• Fruit. I don't think I will ever eat such delicious and cheap fruit as here in the middle of the Central Valley. Avocados, peaches, apricots, oranges, plums, nectarines... 
• Beer. American craft beer market has exploded in the recent years, and now the selection is huge and exciting. Yummy white beers, fruit beers (watermelon & apricot being my current favourites), ambers, brown beers, dark beers... and unfortunately a ton of IPAs.
• Weather. I love that I can wear a summery dress every single day of the year, including winter when addition of leggings makes you warm enough. And the continuous sunshine, oh the sunshine! It makes a huge difference to my energy levels.
• Technology. People are truly at the forefront of everything new, and new gadgets and technologies are adopted at staggering speed.
• Science. Also at the forefront of everything new. A lot of great science happens in California and people dare to dream up big ideas and big projects. Everything is done in powerful high-throughput. People speak up about where the academia should be headed, for example there is a lot of movement towards open access (but European funding agencies might be more supportive of this?) and people who actively promote the gender balance. Diverse role models exist.

And then a quick list of things that I will not be missing (just so that no one thinks that I'm totally in love with the US):

• Coffee. Either horrible or expensive.
• Lack of public transport. We are finally looking to buy a car, as doing the things we'd like to do has become difficult. It's impossible to go skiing, visit Bay Area (or even Sacramento) in the evenings or seeing the country without a car.
• Living to work, not working to live. Luckily I absolutely love my work and I have the freedom to decide what is included in it (e.g. mentoring, organizing events, conference travel, learning new things). But yes, I work longer hours than I have ever before, and my work has become an inherent part of me. Or maybe it's the fact I'm in academia and it happens eventually to everyone?
• Workers rights. The postdoctoral researchers have decent vacation days and health coverage in the UC system thanks to our union. I'm not jealous of the regular worker without guaranteed health benefits or sick days, and typically two weeks of (unpaid) vacation time. Maternity leave is minimal, three months in academia seeming to be the norm.
• Healthcare. Stories I've heard of healthcare even with good coverage are shocking, let alone the stories of paying for the insurance yourself or having a shitty one provided to you by your employer because you happen to be e.g. a grad student. 
• Legal system. All the weird stuff about suing and paying huge sums for damages, companies being treated as people, and a huge proportion of the population being the jail at this very moment make no sense to me.
• Traffic. How can there be so many frigging cars??

And now it's time for me to go and enjoy yet another sunny and beautiful day in Davis!