I am a newbie to ATC in the US as a domestic airline pilot. I have flown all over the world including the US on international flights but flying for a local carrier is a totally different animal, especially as a furiner!
My take:
Huge amounts of traffic that move very well. Someone is doing something right.
BUT, there are oddities that have me puzzled:
"climb and maintain", surely the maintain is redundant.
"descend via the star except maintain xxx", I am still getting to used to descent clearances via a star. Why cant it just be descend to xxx with the assumption we will comply with the crossing rerstrictions.
But my fave is clear to land, when you are number 4 in line. They should rephrase it permission to land.
Rant over.