Acclimating to My New Surroundings

So here are a few things I have learned and/or had to adjust to while I have been living here on the East Coast:

1. Bugs Everywhere! I have three bug bites on my toe, a spider bite on my arm, and have killed many bugs in my room, yuck! I need a mosquito net to wear daily but I may get a double take or two. I need to invest in the nice smelling OFF and have that take the place of my perfume. On the nice side of bugs everywhere (yes, there actually is a nice side) is the lightning bugs. They are everywhere at night and are so, so pretty and just kind of make it summer to see lightning bugs when we are out at night. They are kinda ugly normallly so it is so good they have the whole light thing going for them.

2. People are nice! I am amazed and impressed by how kind and hospitable EVERYONE is. I have been called sweetheart at the restaurant, honey at the grocery store, and one day when I was running in the neighborhood, a kind, old man said, "Keep it up, kid!" In stores, restaurants, on the streets people are always saying hi and are just cordial. It makes me want to be happy and kind to everyone I see too.

3. Everything happens late around here. We eat breakfast at 10:30am (I usually eat around 8:30) and we eat dinner at 8:00pm (I usually eat around 6:30). We stay out until midnight and don't go to bed until 1am which then means I get up around 9:30. So technically I am doing all these things on Utah time and shouldn't complain.

4. Beautiful neighborhood. I live in a great neighborhood of Arlington, VA. There is a park on every corner, huge trees line the streets, and it has a neighborhood watch committee, so it is nice and safe! (I will post pictures of my cute neighborhood soon.)

5. Cars and Freeways everywhere! I have actually been really lucky to not be stuck in traffic too often. But the number of freeways here are amazing. They have freeways, routes, parkways, everything! I usually will get on at least three different freeways to get somewhere 20 minutes away. I miss the nice, simple Interstate 15 in Utah that pretty much gets us everywhere we want to go.