I moved from Alabama to Massachusetts last week. Here's the recap so far:
1. Say cheese! Bostonians don't smile. Well, they smile, but not at strangers. Walking down the street, making eye contact and smiling at everyone you pass will get you a free crazy stamp right across the forehead. Or at least I assume that's what happened to me because the only people that returned my glances were the mentally ill and creepy old men.
2. It is hot in Topeka*. Speaking to people in Alabama, you would have thought I was moving to a polar ice cap. In fact, it was 90 degrees in Boston today and I got a terrible sunburn.
3. Keep Walkin'. Boston has pedestrians. Pedestrians with no fear of death. I drove into the city twice this week and was constantly dodging pedestrians who *saw me coming* and yet continued into the street. They even have weird blinky traffic lights that have something to do with pedestrians (I've obviously yet to figure out what these mean.) In Alabama, the road is for cars. People in the road=front end fodder. I will say, however, that the ubiquity of sidewalks is pretty refreshing. At no point did I have to walk in a ditch. And that's a definite step up. You know what I'm talking about, C. :-p
4. You say "rotary", I say "death wheel." Seriously New England, wtf? I've been trying to figure out how to drive in these high speed circles of doom but every one has different rules! We're driving through one and I'm told "You have to yield to the main road." At another, "The people inside the rotary always have the right-of-way." I think the advice my boyfriend's parents gave me most accurately captures what actually happens inside a rotary. "The rule at the rotary is, whoever's going the fastest has the right-of-way. So, you just bomb in there going top speed and you'll be fine." Terrifying.
5. Marco....Polo! I've been constantly lost since the day I got here. The funny thing is, if you're lost in Alabama you can drive anywhere from 2-6 hours before you find yourself in another state. In Massachusetts, you can be in another state in 30 minutes. Which means that I've had to greatly reduce the length of time I take to decide to turn around. Because without adjustment I would probably regularly find myself in Vermont. I think a lot of my problem is orientation. You can really walk the entire city of Boston in about 15-20 minutes (I think....I got lost a lot in the city) but I cover a lot of the same ground 2-3 times without realizing it because I'm on a different side of the street, or facing a different direction, or wearing sunglasses. I've really got to learn the landmarks. And I've quickly learned that landmark can not mean Dunkin' Donuts. Because they're on every corner.
6. There is no sweet tea. Seriously. None. I went to Dunkin' Donuts yesterday and ordered one of their new iced teas. Peach flavored. Peachy flavor, no sugar. Who drinks plain iced tea?! It's a travesty. I don't understand. I miss the sweet tea. I miss it so much.
So, I start my new job on Monday. I've been informed that I will be on orientation for two weeks and then placed on the call schedule. I've been doing this same job for over a year, but to only have two weeks to get used to doing it a whole new way in a whole new city...a little nervewracking. Luckily before I start, I'm spending my last weekend of freedom at the beach! I haven't been to the beach in two years (thanks a lot summer of MCAT) so I'm pretty stoked about the prospect.
Welcome to my new blog everybody. I'll keep you posted. :)
* If you don't watch Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, you are missing out. It's hilarious.
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1 : to remove from one place and settle or introduce elsewhere 2 : to transfer an organ or tissue from one part or individual to another
9 comments:
Sad now. Miss you. Would even walk in a ditch with you.
But visits are fun. And I will visit you soon. And I will kidnap P. And we will drink. Lots.
Aww...I miss you too. But it needn't come to ditch-walking. ;) woo visit!
1. that is the northeasterner way. i hated it in boston for this reason. also, for the winters.
2. don't get used to it. the summers in boston last ten minutes and then it is cold/rainy/opposite of beautiful. i think i am sort of revealing my psuedo-hatred of boston living, but whatever. it's freaking miserable in the winter. though I have to admit, the fall can be pretty nice, all two weeks of it.
3. i noticed this down south, i would just barrell into traffic and then get hit. ok not really but there were some pretty close calls. dan calls me the anti-rain man.
4. we call it circle in jersey. we also have jug handles and "U-turns" which I know most people have but when you come to jersey you're like really? did that person just pull a U-ey there? did i just see his car go up on two wheels. wow." i think tom's parent's advice is right on key. you go when you think you have the best chance of not dying.
5. boston is the worst when it comes to driving. it is so confusing because the streets were made in the 1700s. we always ended up in cambridge somehow. no matter where we were, we'd be like "god damn it we're in cambridge again." on the upside, cambridge has some really delicious vegetarian restaurants.
also, very astute re: DD. they are like the plague, if the plague carried delicious egg and cheese croissantwiches.
6. yeah, you lose on that one.
on learning a new job: you'll be fine. you are smart and anything that you are too dumb for, your looks will carry you through. since you are a looker. :)
glad you are east coast baby!
Thanks! I'm sure it'll be fine...we'll see how everything goes when it's 20 degrees outside and I have to venture out at 2 AM though. :-p
Hey Sam! You sound great!(sort of!)
We're already missing you sooooo much. The place just isn't the same without you. We love you!
Gmoney
Glad you made it...Boston sounds cool (well, not technically "cool," but...yeah, whatever).
Just got settled in at my new place...loving it so far, but this is only Day One.
Good luck at your new job...I'm sure you'll smack it down and leave them begging you to do more cool stuff!
Adina, don't hate on Boston. I mean, you live in Philly.
Welcome, Sam! (See? I'm a Bostonian and I'm nice.) Too bad I'm leaving in less than a month.
Regarding driving in Boston, the most important lesson that I learned was that when you are trying to change lanes, you don't wait for someone to let you over, you just sort of go whenever the mood hits you, and you hope everyone else gets out of the way. This is just how Bostonians do it. Now that I am in Washington DC, where it's more like the other drivers go out of their way to personally MAKE SURE you can't change lanes, this skill has become really useful.
Welcome to Boston, Sam --it's true we don't smile and we think that anyone we don't know (and sometimes people we do know) who shows their pearly whites is a threat.
Seriously. I am actually threated by a stranger's smile.
Unless of course that stranger is a 2 year old child.
Anyways, hope you love all of Boston - sorry I won't be here much longer but alas, a meaner, even less smiley city is in my near future.
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