Why Living in the USA is Better

From the Crawford County Fair, PA

(Last one from Facebook, originally published October 2, 2010... would my answers be the same if I wrote these today? Perhaps not entirely, but I didn't see the point of re-inventing the wheel on these, and thought these blists were as good a place to start as any!)   :)

Ok, ok, the one you've all been waiting for (ha), why living right here in the good old USA is best (again, in no particular order but just as my mind wanders and I think about things)...

1. We are still one of the free-est Nations on Earth

2. Many many more choices of fast/cheap food (you knew food had to come in there somewhere, LOL)!!

3. Almost everyone here speaks english (or american, or something)  ;)

4. NO exchange rate headaches!!  :)-

5. This is my native home, where I was born and raised and my family has lived since the Mayflower (and even before that if you count my grandmother's great-grandmother from the Seneca tribe!)

6. At Disney you don't have to look for the english-language headphones or listen carefully for the english-language instructions to come up after half a dozen other languages  ;)-

7. I understand the culture and it's lingo, so I don't have to worry about accidentally insulting someone or giving an unintended rude gesture (of course that also means that if I flip you off, I really mean it and can't say oops LOL)

8. Shopping is easier, since I can easily read the phone book, ask for directions, etc., and again back to #5 it's easy to find chains I know and don't have to guess which store sells what (or not as much, anyway!)

9.  The U.S. also has lots more discount and thrift stores than anywhere else I've seen.  :)

10. As long as both you and they are in the Conus 48, it's much MUCH easier, cheaper, and faster to visit family  :)

11. Little worry about time change for phoning--again, as long as you are Conus the most you have to consider is 3 hours' difference!!  Also it may be cheaper or easier to call from state-to-state, even on the cells (without need for computer-based phone)

12. NO MORE annoying "sorry but you aren't in the U.S. so you can't watch this show or access this web site or enter this contest or join this club" messages!!!!  :-p

13. MAIL!!!  My 10 year old twins have both already said that is the thing they love by far the most in the US--they get mail almost every day in the box RIGHT in front of our HOUSE, wahoo!!!  :)-  No more trips to the post office, customs forms, etc.

14. Also regarding mail, we don't get the "sorry we won't ship to APO" or insanely excessive "handling" fees for APO... plus we can get furniture and books and etc. shipped to us through UPS and other land-based carriers

15. The walls are NOT made of concrete!!  ;)  (my germany friends will appreciate that one LOL)

16. I can see movies (in theory, LOL) when they first come out, without waiting for the european or AAFES release

17. American stores and companies are much more likely to offer military discounts to American servicemen and their families  ;)

18. I can wear things with flags on them without fear of offending someone or risking attack, standing out as an "ugly American"

19. I can visit Christian book stores and listen to Christian radio  :)

20. I can VOTE again!!!!!  (We gave up trying to vote from overseas nearly 5 years ago when the first 5 years overseas we tried every election and only once did either of us actually get a vote through the mail to the recording center, ugh)

21. I never have to even think about darkening the door of stupid AAFES   :-p