Adjustments

As with any new place of residence, there are bound to be some "adjustments" that you need to get used to. A few of my good friends have also made some major moves (Danielle to NYC and Rachel to Pennsylvania), and recently posted on some things they are needing to "adjust" to. It got me thinking--what here in Texas are we adjusting to? Here is a brief list:

1. The humidity. Nearly 80% every day.
2. Huge, ginormous, extremely ugly bugs. The most common are these inch-long black crickets, some of which have found a home in our closet. ugh.
3. Making new friends -- this is turning out to be harder than expected. I've been finding that most of the women I meet here are just in a different phase of life (you know, 3 kids or so), and it's hard to fully relate. I'm sure we'll find some friends, though. I have not given up yet.
4. Being a minority in my country
5. Being extremely and constantly dizzy, to the point where I blacked out a few mornings ago while walking to the sink to put my cereal bowl away. The next thing I know I'm on the ground and looking at Russ's face.
6. The roads! They have these weird "turnaround" things at every light... you get caught on it and you are unwillingly driving the wrong direction till the next turnaround.
   
7. THE JOB HUNT, and having an interview for a job that didn't exist. Ok basically this is what happened: we had a lead for me at a local accounting firm, so I had been in contact with the audit partner for a few months who told me to call once I'm here so we could meet about the available audit position. I called, we met for an interview/lunch. He then tells me "so, I uh, don't really know what's available here in the company... la di da..." and we basically just had lunch. No job available. Weird and slightly discouraging.
8. No grocery stores! There is one store that qualifies as a grocery store here -- HEB -- and nothing else.
9. Being grown ups. Russ and I are pros at dropping hundreds of dollars every day for the last few weeks purchasing fun things, such as car insurance, inspections, car registration, Texas licenses, washers/dryers, internet, phone bills, mattresses, etc. etc. (I know I know, probably everyone who reads this blog has been doing this for a while now, it's just that we were hit with everything all at once, so it was just a minor shock).
10. Not knowing where in the world we are... at all times.

So there you have it. An expected list of adjustments. Despite this list, we really are liking it here and are slowly getting acquainted to the people and the area. I am excited to be completely "settled" and feel like this is my home. Until then, Russ and I will continue to play tourists and explore the city of San Antonio.

Here we are on the infamous and extremely beautiful "Riverwalk," a never-ending street that is under the city (along a river) very reminiscent of the canals in Venice. I loved it.