Scary?  We Americans usually don't bite.  The southern states are a nice place to visit - the folks there are a little friendlier by upbringing, although I hear that rule doesn't always apply in big cities.  I think they have shoe shines in the airport there still.  I had my boots done and they never looked better!  They even reblacked the soles.

Oh, no. Scary because I haven't booked half of my things yet... like flights. And putting in forms for entry. You know, all the stuff that's actually important (thank god my passport's still good til 2014, otherwise I'd be in trouble!)

Haven't been to East US yet - have been to Western side when I was 9 - but am looking forward to it. I hope to get a lot of sightseeing done in between puppetry. As for friendliness, I've never really met any American who wasn't friendly...

(Funnily enough, whilst enquiring about the cost of a flight at a local travel agent, she noticed that my email address had 'puppets' in it, and said: "Do you know there's a big puppet museum in Atlanta?" I felt like saying, "duh!"   )