Chicago

I must appologise yet again for the lack of communication, but i have been so busy i havent really had time to write, and in the next feew weeks will have very limited access to the internet, so again will bewriting much less frequently.
Arriving in Chicago was as scary as hell.. the prospect of meeting and living with my family who i had only met a couple of times before in my life was terrifying!
My aunt met me at the airport, and only knew who i was thanks to the pics my dad had sent her. she was so open and wam and welcoming i straight away relaxed. In the car park, straight away i knew i was in the USA, all huge new and beautiful cars!!
Driving to their house in the suburbs was like our counntryside, lots of space, greenery, and the house iself just like in the movies. Large, spacious and modern. Meeting m cousins was pretty wierd too, but they were so friendly and so willing to take me out and show me around it was great.
In my days here they took me for severaal drives around the town, to some museums and parks.. and of course to the MALL! Unfortunatly there has been no going out for me at all, as you have to be 21 to even go into a bar here in Illinois, which sucks! I did however experience the chicago deep pan pizza, which was delicious, apart ffrom the fact they put the tomato sauce on the cheese, instead of the normal way... i also visited and got a tour of the biggest McDonalds, and my cousin go us into loads of places using the line - my cousin is here rom england- worked every time!
Also in shops people always stop and just stare and tell me how CUTE my accent is and they could listen to it all day! Ha ha ha.. has got me some discounts in some stores!
THis country is also totally crazy. You have to take the car everywhere.. and they even have drive thru ATM's and pharmacys!!! NUTS!
Also the other night a van came round sprayingMOSQUITO REPPELANT on everyones gardens.. thats wild!
Unfortunatly i came here at just the wrong time... my cousins have been workinng all day everyday, and the weather has been bad.. rain rain rain.. apparently its normally sunny and hot!
Anyway... i should shoot off, but i feel i should highlight one thing i hate about out here.... people i feel are more prejudiced and racist than anwhere else i have been. I dont know if mabe its just the teens and my experience, but the kids honk and laugh at the homeless and call them bums, and really look down on them.,... and also the same with black people, despite there actually being more black people here than in the UK. I would have expected much better intergration, but have een disappointed... but maybe it will be different in California...
Bye,... wish me luck in California! - tomorrow flying there and buying a car... ahhhh!!! petrified!