For those that don't know, the title of this blog is taken from one of the most famous quotes from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It seemed an appropriate way to summarise the last few days here in the US.

It's been full-on since the program started on Monday, and I've seen so much, spoken to so many people, and had so many ideas crammed into my head (not to mention the food crammed into my mouth), that it's a little overwhelming. As I'm renowned for long-winded writing, I'm going to try and keep it brief, and share a few observations after these few days.

While I'm enjoying myself here, I can't quite shake the insular feeling I get here in the US. While it's something that's commonly observed by those of us who aren't Americans, it's a bit different to experience it first hand. Between the news coverage, preponderance of all things American, and the size of everything, it's easy to see how many Americans might forget that they are just one small part of the world. I don't mean to sound rude at all when I say that, but after just a few days here, I had to keep reminding myself about New Zealand, the issues facing our country, and world events. A big part of this is probably the ever-present focus on the debt ceiling and the shutdown, but even allowing for that, it really does feel like another planet here. A good example is the basketball game I went to on Tuesday night. I'm not a sports fan, as many of you may know, but I thought it would be fun to experience NBA, and saw the Washington Wizards play Miami Heat. Patriotism was in abundance, from the national anthem, the respect for military service, and the attention lavished on the players, it made even the biggest All Black match look like Saturday morning sports. While I was there, it felt like there was nothing else but America and its interests. And as I realised that, it made me feel a little sad, because I wondered how American's might react if things were different. And then I felt bad abot sounding so judgemental, when there is much to admire about theiir patriotism. They have remarkable resilience, and a sense of community and pride. And, following on from a presentation I went to in Alexandria today, it sounds like this translates into some real positives, like a culture of volunteerism that supports many needy sectors. It's a complex issue, and it's kept my mind busy all this time.

On a lighter note, it's been fun exploring in our (meagre) spare time. I've been to a huge mall which dwarfs anything you'll find in New Zealand. I got to go into an Apple Store, and pretty much walked straight out. While I'd like to buy a new iPhone, it's not possible just now, so there's nothing really to see or do there. I also checked out a Microsoft store, which tries to mirror the Apple Store, but doesn't quite manage it. I did get to see a Makerbot replicator up close, along with a new 3D scanner, which is basically Star Trek in a box. The future is here, and it's only $2199 + tax! Still, the Microsoft Store was better than the Sony Store, which was huge and had no-one (and I mean no-one) inside...

Food has been interesting. Partly due to the time spent on work (for the benefit of my work colleagues, I'm effectively working 10+ hour days, what with all the blog writing and note taking...), I've had mostly fast food for dinner - chilli cheese hot dogs, a massive burger with everything (literally), pizza, etc. It got so bad, that my body was screaming for veges - I hadn't realised how few meals are served with vegetables or salad! So today we had lunch at a lovely Greek restaurant in Alexandria, where I got to load up on leafy mediterranean salads, steamed vegetables, Fava bean diip, homemade yoghurt, and a couple of lemon-sauced Greek meatballs (souvlaki). Also had a small bowl of very nice Lentil soup. Yummo! My body started to heal...

Finally, as I write this, the US Government Shutdown seems to be coming to an end. I've got the news on (MSNBC), and it's fascinating to see the coverage of the bill's passage, the Presidential statement, etc. I saw Rev. Al Sharpton railing against the Republicans, Chris Hayes had a crack, and then the Rachel Maddow Show similarly launched a tirade against the Republicans. Don't get me wrong, I knew that news stations were pretty biased over here, but I wasn't prepared for the overt bias and the almost theatrical tirades they delivered. It was almost comical, and makes what I thought were satirical news shows (like the Daily Show) look positively common by contrast! It really is a different world here...