Busses are terrible in the US, as with all public transit outside of the Northeast. You don't have to have a car to survive, but be prepared to be very inconvenienced all the time. All. The. Fucking. Time.
Also, yes, Super. Walk around with a tape recorder, get up into people's faces and go "HI WILL YOU SPEAK FOR ME I LIKE YOUR ACCENT IT IS SO DIFFERENT." Please. I want to hear about you getting thrown into a river. ^_^