Halloween in the U.S.A

I had three days off after my first project which were mostly used for shopping for all the things I didn't on the first project and wish I did. Near the Mall we came across a store called Marshalls which is kind of an outlet store selling designer clothes at rock-bottom prices. It was cool looking at all the clothes,bags and shoes but what all I came away with was a big cosy jacket and some fleece pants. Though I think I'll be making another stop there before my flight back to the U.K!

Saturday was also Halloween. Boy, was that a strange experience. I know Halloween is slowly expanding in the U.K but it is a massive holiday over here. Some people seemed to be in costume by lunchtime and most houses were decorated with Autumn Reefs, halloween decs and about 3 or 4 massive pumpkins. By nightfall, the streets were filled with people in elaborate and well thought-out costumes, including medieval kings and queens, cowes, blues brothers, evil EVIL clowns, plus the usual witches, ghosts and goblins, and a guy dressed as a solar panel! We went to a bar called the Green Room which was full of dressed up NAU students and townsfolk - infact me and a housemate were the only one's not in costume and so we were the one's getting strange looks. Being dressed head to toe in black, I first started to tell people when they asked us that I was dressed as a backstage hand, but it got difficult to explain that after a while as people can't always understand the English accent, so I started to say I was dressed as Anti-matter, since no-one really knows what that could look like I guessed. It was a good night, if not a little crazy walking back and passing Mr Incredible, a man dressed as "Where's Wally?", and several men dressed as women.

The British Accent: It's a strange thing with the accent, I like seeing the look on people's faces when they realise you're British. They go, "oooohh, you're from England?!", I still correct them and say the U.K but the weirdest thing is, I've had to start saying my name in an American accent as when I was first arrived and American's asked me my name, they couldn't quite get it so I had to keep repeating "Carla" to them, but as soon as I said is like "Caaa-rla" in my best American twang, they understood.

Well, I'm all set now for project 2: back to Wupatki, tomorrow morning. Just time to enjoy one last shower!