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We were fortunate enough to be met at the bus terminal in Hartford, Connecticut by my friend Katie, whom I studied with and hadn't seen in over a year. She was so happy and even slogged out the 2 hour return trip to Danbury (Near NY) to bring us to her home. We were so lucky to be able to stay with a real family, and all the benefits that come with that (home cooked meals, real showers, real beds etc). Something that myself and Ju are extremely grateful for since 'being on the road' and will never forget. It was an absolute privilege to spend time with such a tight knit, caring family to which we both felt apart of and never once unwelcomed or uncomfortable around (although maybe the family dog/wolf 'Frankie' thought differently as he never quite warmed to us).
Katie's neighbourhood - Danbury, is a surprisingly large town. Not overly busy, but sprawling over several miles with many, many shopping villages and stores. I couldn't familiarise myself with the town itself - it was just too large, and it took us a few days to understand just the main roads and bus route, which we became quite accustomed to towards the end of our stay. There are also plenty of fields and small forests that are especially beautiful in the fall. The air is crisp, it was also quiet - a much needed change of pace from being in a large city.
We were immediately met by Katie's mother, Terri, who we were told loved to entertain and host people, and she certainly deliviered. No sooner had we put our bags down there was already a hot meal waiting to be devoured. I nearly choked on my chili when Juliet declined an alcoholic beverage (she must have been very ill), I however, accepted the potent vodka soda :). We were also enlightened by the standard 'house tour', where we were introduced to a few ancient artifacts from an anscestor in the 1800's including a cabinet, book of plant pressings (still in great condition) and a cool little wind up music tube). It was something that I found fascinating.
We were excited to get some washing done (well overdue) the next day, though I hadn't yet resorted to the old inside out trick. I'm sure the colour of that washing machine water would have been so grim, but it felt so good to be in clean clothes!! After a delicious cooked breakfast we headed to Danbury Fair - a large mall for some window shopping etc. With great difficulty navigating the bus system, we made it back home to meet Katie from work. Another lovely meal with a side of beers ensured we were in for a well earned rest.
We were woken by the dog's booming bark the next day (our regular alarm) and headed to the local ice rink for a day of embarrassment. It was my first time on skates, Juliet's second (though she could have fooled me). Fortunately we bothe escaped unscathed! Ice skating is alot like rollerblading, kinda like Skate Plus, though without the corny disco music. The night we headed to a western bar known as Coyote Maverick's - full of your typical hillbilly hicks. Only a few beers were required before myself, Juliet and Terri were found well lubricated, failing miserabley on the d floor. The good thing about line dancing though is that its repetitive nature ensures a much easier integration into the dancing crowd after the initial part where you stand there staring at everyone else, hoping to gain some sort of idea of what to do. It was a good time all in all.
Our wounded states were made much worse the next day, where we made the rookie move and watched 'teen mom' for the majority of the morning. My social network game however took a turn for the better after I managed to get my phone fixed upon our return to the mall. Katie's sister Carrie was kind enough to take us to Norwalk - a smallish town on the water. We explored the local aquarium, saw some cool fauna and ate a nice meal on the pier. On our return home, we carved our pumpkins! I was dreading this in a way due to my lack of any artistic skill whatsoever, in the end though it turned out to be so much fun! Something I am sure glad to be a part of. It's funny how Halloween is such a 'thing' here in the states, but in most other places it has next to no significance at all. Our night really began at 10 when we hit the raging Danbury club scene. No sooner had the beers began flowing and my dance moves began to destroy everything in sight, the lights turned on and it was all over (at 1230AM). Danbury definitely did have the largest amount of drunk grinding/booty shaking in my opinion. The 'white boi' pheromones could be detected from a mile away. Outrageous. We left that night feeling slightly ripped off, but still in high spirits none the less.
Saying the goodbyes to our new 'family' was a little tough, as i know myself and Ju were unsure of whether we actually wanted to leave such a welcoming place. The train to NYC was a welcome change from the usual bus ordeal. In addition it was quite a naturally scenic route, lots of water, trees and forests. A stark contrast to the chaotic mess that is Grand Central Terminal. Now, sitting in the trashy Brookyln hostel makes me even more thankful to be able to stay with a lovely real American family. It is really interesting for me to be a part of this and be able to learn how different cultures operate. We both will have fond memories of Connecticut and have learnt so much from our stay. A truly amazing experience.
Next Stop NYC!!
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