Our First Month as Americans

We have survived our first month in America!!

It has been a busy month with people visiting and taking care of all the things that go with a move, so I haven't been able to blog...I hope you are all still out there!!!

Wow! Where do I begin?? This past month has been a strange mixture of culture shock at times and feeling totally at home and comfortable at other times. It is amazing how hard it is to conjure up life in Berlin...it is like my mind won't let me too much...I think the sunshine is too bright to think.

The emotions go something like this....exhaustion and recovery from the process of moving and leaving Germany, the feeling like we are just on a long vacation, a sensation of leaving it all behind and starting life new again escape-artist style, feeling like I have forgotten very basic things like how to cook or what I like to do with my time, etc. and so forth. The good news is that this cloud of total disorientation - possibility, excitement, confusion, loss, hope, obsession, fear, anticipation, relief, freedom - is beginning to subside. People are amazingly resilient.

I think we like it here.

So far, Chapel Hill is:

1. Amazingly small. Everyone you meet knows someone you've just met. This is both cozy and a little furreaky. It also might explain why everyone is so dang friendly. No one wants to offend anyone who might know someone you know and so on.

2. Cute. Cozy neighborhoods with winding, hilly roads. The vegetation is wild and overgrown (even pre-summer bloomin'). There are magnolia trees the size of the jolly green giant and wisteria hangs lazily off trees just as you would imagine from any proper southern town. Cherry blossoms and apple trees flower purple, white, and pink throughout the forests. As you know, I am not nature Mama, but I think I have already been converted. I will grow a garden.

3. Left. You don't even have to talk to anyone to see that Chapel Hill residents are very politically conscientious and liberally minded. We knew we loved the place when we saw a group of old folks hanging out on a street corner engaged in their own little protest, picket signs and all.

4. A big supporter of small businesses. There are no big, ugly chain stores within the city limits. That's right...none...no walmarts, targets, best buys, lowes, etc. and so on. Durham has them, but not Chapel Hill. Buying local is encouraged everywhere, and we get the feeling that Chapel Hill residents are willing to pay more (even much more) to keep those cute, small businesses from being swallowed by the ugly suck heads.

5. Organic. There is the Weaver Street Market - a community owned, organic, grocery store with a big front lawn that seems to be the sort of town center. They have live music and its basically just awesome. They also have a restaurant serving up locally grown meals. I like.

6. Healthy. The people are fit (I didn't expect this) and you actually see them out walking, running, and cycling (I didn't expect that either).

So, I think we'll feel at home here. We have certainly had our share of moments where we're like, holy cow, let's move to NYC before we sign any leases, but then we kick ourselves a little and remember that, for children (and neurotic mamas), big city life ain't no fun no way.

Which brings me to my next thought. What I really want to do is speak with a southern accent. I was very surpized to find that not many people here do. Instead, because of the university and research triangle, there is this total international mix. I haven't met anyone that is actually from here yet. Weirdness. I guess I'll have to keep my southern accent to the confines of my own home.

So I'll keep you posted on small town life. Its pretty rockin'. I hope you are all well and happy. More soon. Love, Mama Jens