That’s great! I never knew that Finns were in the UP! Cool. (I’ve only driven through and stopped at a Tim Horton’s).
Can the OP get herring there? (or in Detroit for that matter?). 
And this is how the etiquette goes:
You do NOT say to someone, bluntly, “I will pay you to drive me to such-and-such a place.”
No, you ask him or her, “Hey, could you give me a lift [or a ride] to such-and-such a place?” An alternative phrase is to say, “Can I get a ride to such-and-such?” or the even more casual, “Can I bum a ride to such-and-such?”
And you add quickly, “I’d be happy to pay for gas”, or the more casual, “I’d be happy to chip in for gas.”
All these phraseologies imply a non-commercial transaction; you are asking this person to do you a favor. This is desirable, as most Americans are offended by the implication that they are merely chauffeurs for hire who can, or need to be, bribed to give someone a lift. And your quick offer to “chip in” for gas shows that you aren’t stupid, and are aware that gas costs money. And phrasing it casually like that makes it not a commercial transaction.
So anyway, the person says, “Sure, no problem.”
And then after you’re in the car and are on your way, you say, “Let me give you five dollars for gas.” (Note: $5 is the minimum since gas prices went up; it used to be “a couple dollars”, in other words, about the price of a gallon of gas, but now it’s $5.)
Anyway, you say, “Let me give you five dollars for gas.” And you produce a five dollar bill. (You have to have this ready, so you can whip it out.)
And the other person will say, “No, no, it’s no problem.”
Then you say, “No, really, I want to.” And you proffer the bill again.
Now, at this point, after you’ve offered twice, etiquette dicates that the other person will either say, “Okay” and will accept the money, because he can use it.
Or else he’ll say, again, “No, no, it’s no problem”, insistently, and it’s clear that if you offer again, he’ll be offended.
So you do not offer again. You put the money away.
And you go through this every time someone gives you a ride somewhere, unless it’s like just down to the end of the block. But any substantial distance, like more than a five-minute ride, you offer to pay for gas. If you keep this up, you will soon get a reputation as a very classy person, even if you don’t ever have to actually hand over the money to anyone.
If you make an arrangement with someone to drive you regularly to a place, like a weekly car pool or something, then the two of you make a more businesslike arrangement, which requires a bit of tactful discussion on your part, as the chauffeur is usually reluctant to openly ask you to chip in for gas, as that’s a bit too commercial for him, but he really wishes you would offer. So you do. You say, “If you’ll drive me to the library every Wednesday, I’d be happy to chip in $5 for gas for that.” Thus you effectively are paying him $5 (every time) to drive you to the library every Wednesday, but you allow it to seem like he’s doing you a favor, and then you’re doing him a favor by “chipping in” for gas money, instead of “paying” him to drive you.
And yes, you have to go through this same ritual every Wednesday–you get in the car, you say, “Let me give you $5 for gas”, and you offer it. Then the ball is in his court, he can take it or leave it, as he chooses.
But if he’s going to drive you to something really far away, like up to Caseville to the beach, then the two of you will have to have a really businesslike discussion of splitting the gas costs. And it depends on the distance. You can suggest amounts and see where his comfort zone seems to be. You can say, “Of course I’ll help out with the gas, let me give you ten bucks for it”, and he’ll look relieved and say, “Yeah, I figure ten bucks ought to do it”. Or else he’ll say, “Well, that would be great if you could help out, but actually I figure it’ll be more like twenty.” Then you give him the money after you’re in the car, traveling, because, again, that makes it seem more casual, than if you “pay” him ahead of time. Plus that way you’re sure he’s not going to spend the money on beer… 
There is, however, one time when it is not appropriate to offer to pay for gas: if the person is giving you a lift to a destination that’s right on his way anyway. Then you look like a hyperactive foreigner if you offer him gas money for something he’s going to do anyway. For example, if you’re leaving church together on Sunday morning, and you live right on his way home, and you ask him for a lift, you do not offer to pay for gas, because he’s going that way anyway.
Sorry if this all seems rather murky. Generally speaking, it’s never wrong to at least offer to “chip in” five bucks for gas when you ask someone for a ride. And most of the time, people will wave away your money, saying, “No, no, keep your money.”
This wasn’t such an issue when gas prices were below $2 a gallon, but now that they’re nudging $4 in some areas, people are a little edgy about the whole subject of giving people rides which uses up gas.
But do ask for rides. Don’t be shy. As a foreign student, you have an automatic “in”; people will be happy to do you favors, and driving cars is something we pride ourselves on.
Hey,
Spaniard, lived in Miami 4 years, in Philly 1, traveled around a bit.
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Most American cities don’t exist after 5pm. They just close down. Most small stores follow the same hours as offices, which brings up the question “when are people supposed to shop?” Answer: 24h supermarkets.
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For the first months of being in the US I felt like I’d stepped inside my TV. Spanish universities don’t have the campus structure of American ones, where you can stay in campus for anything and everything. Most of the cars were brands and models you don’t see in Spain. No SEATs, FIATs, Peugeouts or Renaults, but Buicks and Dodges everywhere. At least Ford and Toyota were familiar… but usually, the models would be different. Oh, and it took me two years to find out that “bewe” meant Buick.
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Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and New York can be circulated around without a car, but they’re the exceptions to the rule. Americans drive to the bathroom… If you have a Swedish license, you can use it to drive in the US (for a duration of that length, it’s not necessary to get the international license). In the US, it’s generally allowed to turn right when your traffic light is red, this almost got me run over several times (they’re supposed to watch out for pedestrians, but it’s a supposition).
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Prizes do not include tax. Restaurant prices include neither tax nor service - the majority of waiters do not get paid unless you tip.
*Mention how big everything is. They’re totally hung up on size, Americans 
Adding to Nava’s post…
Don’t expect Americans to know anything about Sweden… a few will know it is in Europe, lots will confuse it with Switzerland.
Americans tend to watch lots of TV and unless you have been following the same programs, you’ll probably not get several jokes/references.
Mustard/Ketchup does not come in tubes in the US and everything you buy is huge so packing a picnic is not the same as in Europe… might not matter as it will be winter, but same same for lunch on the ski slopes.
Actually, Michigan is well within sight of the top of a lift at the best lift area skiing in the mid-west (Loch Lomond, Thunder Bay, Ontario) (or cross-country, for that matter, in the same neighbourhood), but it is one of those “you can’t get there from here” sort of places, and requires a drive of about 800 miles from Detroit. Detroit has neither the topography nor the climate for skiing. Either forget skiing for the duration, or hop cheap flights out west, or drive to the UP or to Searchmount near the Soo.
Er… are you sure you drove through? I know we’re close to Canada, but there’s no Tim Horton’s here.
Sure, you can get herring. Same ol’ packaged Herring you get anywhere in the US. though. Our local fish are lake trout, whitefish, walleye, and perch.
And yeah, there’s lots of Finns here. We have a Finnish language TV show on the local channel, and the International Finn Fest has been held here two or three times in the last ten years or so. Names like “Eino Keskimaki” are not uncommon (though they do tend to be old people… but I did go to school with a few Raimes and Toivos)
Nava writes:
> * Most American cities don’t exist after 5pm. They just close down. Most small
> stores follow the same hours as offices, which brings up the question “when
> are people supposed to shop?” Answer: 24h supermarkets.
I disagree. Most cities have lots of stores in shopping centers (and some that are by themselves) that are open to about 9:00 PM. Most restaurants are open till about 10:00 PM, and there are a fair amount open later.
> * Prizes do not include tax. Restaurant prices include neither tax nor service -
> the majority of waiters do not get paid unless you tip.
Yes, they do. Their wages aren’t very good though. Tipping is pretty standard.
Adrian
Ann Arbor
Auburn Hills
Bay City
Belleville
Burton
Canton
Canton Township
Chesterfield
Clinton Township
Davison
Dearborn
Essexville
Farmington Hills
Fenton
Ferndale
Flint
Garden City
Harper Woods
Imlay City
Lake Orion
Lapeer
Lincoln Park
Livonia
Macomb
Midland
Milford Monroe
Mount Pleasant
Northville
Oak Park
Owosso
Plymouth
Pontiac
Port Huron
Redford
Romulus
Roseville
Royal Oak
Saginaw
Saline
Southfield
St. Clair Shores
Sterling Heights
Taylor
Trenton
Utica
Van Buren Township
Walled Lake
Warren
Waterford
White Lake Twp.
Ypsilanti
Adrian
Ann Arbor
Auburn Hills
Bay City
Belleville
Burton
Canton
Canton Township
Chesterfield
Clinton Township
Davison
Dearborn
Essexville
Farmington Hills
Fenton
Ferndale
Flint
Garden City
Harper Woods
Imlay City
Lake Orion
Lapeer
Lincoln Park
Livonia
Macomb
Midland
Milford Monroe
Mount Pleasant
Northville
Oak Park
Owosso
Plymouth
Pontiac
Port Huron
Redford
Romulus
Roseville
Royal Oak
Saginaw
Saline
Southfield
St. Clair Shores
Sterling Heights
Taylor
Trenton
Utica
Van Buren Township
Walled Lake
Warren
Waterford
White Lake Twp.
Ypsilanti
OMG.
My original point was based on my having dinner one evening in the US. We were in a family place like Denny’s or somesuch and as it was late and winter, there were few people. My wife ordered hot chocolate and noted that it was advertised on the menu as 'Swiss Miss" brand.
After taking the order, the waitress commented that she “was off to milk the Swedish cow”. Uh… shouldn’t that be the Swiss cow? “What’s the difference?” :rolleyes:
That Bush doesn’t know is scary, but a reflection of Americans in general I’m afraid. Note that this board is not the place to find average Americans.
Sorry for the double post.
And which of these are in the UP…?
I don’t think any are in the UP.
The Soo and TBay in Canada have them, and Michigan’s lower peninsula has them, but I have never come across one in the UP.
Circle your wagons, UPers, Tims is surrounding you. Your only hope is to abandon Michigan and join Minnesota (or Wisconsin, but you’d have to be nuts to join Wisconsin).
It’s true that a lot of cities seem to close up at 5 or 6 in the afternoon, but the suburbs are the opposite. I’m maybe 15 miles from Detroit, and I can easily think of a dozen places I could shop or eat at three a.m.
Since LOUNE and I will both be close enough to pick cactus waltz up, I propose the first festing be a dinner and stroll around Ann Arbor. Close enough for the folks from the D and easy to get to and we have quite a few dopers there already.
You just want more polenta fries.
Oh believe me, we would welcome a Tim Hortons with open arms.
We’re more than ready to abandon Michigan, too. But Minnesota? Excuse me? Those lake-addled hotdish-eating heathens? Heck no, we’ll go to Wisconsin. Or better yet, Ontario. The States never did love us, if we were part of Canada we’d be the tropics!
If you’re of legal drinking age (21), you’ll need to know that the bars close at 2am, and last call (your last chance to order an alcoholic drink) is usually at 1:30.
There are some areas that close up early, but like Queen Tonya, I’ve never had a problem finding something to do after 10pm.
Welcome to Ontario! You are now the District of Algoma South. Enjoy your single-payer medical care and taxes.
Your speed limit is now 40 km/h in school zones, 50 km/h in town, 80 km/h on highways, and 100 km/h on freeways (I guess we’ll be renumbering that stretch of I-75 to be Kings Highway No. 475). Your money is now multicoloured, with the queen on the twenty. Don’t worry, though; it’s practically at par.
My sister from the Soo can now cross the St. Mary’s River without a problem. However, I understand the lineups at the border posts at both ends of the Mackinac Straits Bridge can be a pain at times.
We are well on our way to acquiring our next target of Minnesota, er, I mean, the District of Kenora South. Lake Superior will soon be ours!
And prepare to be “carded”–asked to show proof that you are indeed old enough to drink.