Most Americans are always on the go. It seems they are often running from one appointment to the next, going to and from work, picking up kids, running errands, and going to business meetings and social outings. Because Americans are regularly on the move, there is often not enough time to have a formal, sit-down meal. A common expression you'll hear is, "24 hours in a day is not enough!" I don’t like that, we, the Ukrainians, like to sit down in a café and enjoy a cup of coffee, or relax for a few minutes and eat a snack, to eat home-made food.
The idea of being self-sufficient is valued highly in the U.S. Many American kids and teenagers leave home for extended periods of time, often for summer camps or travel. Upon graduating secondary school, many Americans choose colleges and universities outside of and often far from their hometowns. College students generally live on their own or in residence halls with other students while at school for two to four years and many move away from their childhood homes after graduation. After 17 or 18 years, most Americans no longer live at home with their families. They also do their own shopping, laundry, cooking, and pursue careers or studies on their own. It is just strange for us, because Ukrainians as usual are very close with their parents and family, we have various family traditions and it’s okey when a young couple lives with their in-lows. On the other hand, I adore American relationships between parents and children, they are free to be independent and to do what they want.
