Getting grounded in Gainesville :)

As you may know, earlier this month I was given the choice between two wonderful job offers and I made my decision in the affirmative on the one that would take me to Gainesville, Florida.  Once the decision was made, moving plans were developed and I would have 2 weeks of time before my start date with the NCCER.

I spent a wonderful final week in Minneapolis, visiting many of the spots that had been my life during my four months there and soaking up as much time with Tom as I could.  But a decision was made that I would spend a week in Colorado before the move, giving me time to recoup around family and relax in the springtime mountain air.

My time at home was really wonderful. Not only did I get a weekend of fun with my sisters (we found an amazing playground), I spent lots of time reliving family stories with mom, was visited by two of my closest Wyomingite friends, and then I spent a full day in Cheyenne visiting friends, high school teachers, doctors, and even my junior high basketball coach!  It was great to be able to make the trip up to Wyoming and send my thanks yet again to all those people who inspired and encouraged my to aspire to the wonderful life I now live.

But after a week it was off to Florida for me!! The company brought me out a few days before I am to report to the office so that I'd have time without work to find a place to live and a vehicle to transport me around this bustling little college town.

On Gainesville
Gainesville is a college town in every sense of the word. The majority of the 100k residents are either students or individuals that work for the university (even my company is an affiliate of the school).  Everywhere one goes there are signs cheering on the college teams, the Gators (who are quite exception in their NCAA rankings).  Even the local grocery store chain, Publix, has blue and orange themed design.  The town has (as far as I've found) about four different "areas" that each come with their different vibes. First is a distinct and wonderful old(ish) brick and cobblestone downtown area, next a southern part which is dedicated to the mall and other chain-type businesses, the university campus which takes up the entire center of the town, and then a sprawling and heavily wooded northern residential and somewhat commercial area.

To be honest the entire town is heavily wooded. One can see very little when on a road or outside due to the immense and dense spreads of trees that tower upwards of thirty feet into the air.  I have a near feeling of claustrophobia at some points because from my life in the west I'm so used to the wide open skies and expansive ocean views.  What I love, however, is the beautiful green of the landscape, the smell of ever-blooming flowers, and the crispness of the morning air-I'm definitely not in a city here.

After two days of searching , I found an apartment that I know I will love.  While it's not in the downtown area that I've been spending all of my time, I know it will be a nice place to call home for my first year here (this was a very awkward time to look for an apartment as, in college towns, the big moving seasons are late May and early August) and it is only 5 miles from the office.  I'm pretty happy because I think I scored with this newly remodeled, adorable little one bedroom apartment that amazingly has some good natural light (the trees make it so hard!) and a very agreeable rental price. I won't be able to move in until next week due to the maintenance time needed so spruce the place up, but until then I'm being put up in a great little long-stay hotel equipped with a fridge and burners so that I can cook my own food :)

I'm now in the process of a vehicle hunt and, while I have considered and researched car leasing options, I've decided to go with a vespa (an Italian brand scooter/moped) for the beginning of my time here. As many of you know, I'm not a big fan of driving and/or vehicles, so a vespa seemed a good alternative to my bicycle and the local bus options (which I will often take weather permitting). What's wonderful that as a university town, the students too have embraced the little scooters as an affordable and fun way to get around town, so they fill the streets and parking lots, AND, to satisfy those that worry, that means that the cars are also used to looking out for the little guys, so it will be safer to drive them here.

So now, here I am on the Sunday before my first week of work in a "real job", enjoying a chai latte at a cafe called Maude's and enjoying the shade and breeze on their outdoor patio.  Tomorrow is my first day! Maybe I should go buy a new outfit so everything is new and fresh :)