Preconception Clarifications and Reality Checks

Brad and I spent a good chunk of last week in Boston, looking for an apartment. I have much to say about our visit, but here are just a few preconception clarifications and reality checks gathered during our time:

1. Apparently, folks don't make up their beds. Or clean the kitchen or put away scandalous underwear. Even when their apartment is going to be shown to potential renters. I get that it's not the same as trying to sell your own house, but still...

2. Cleaning the bathroom is entirely optional. Ewwwww. Gross.

3. Folks are actually far more friendly than your average Southern gives them credit for. In our brief 3 days of apartment hunting, the majority of people we encountered were not only civil but really quite nice and helpful. Granted, we didn't meet everyone in Boston. :) We did, however, get a wide and varied sampling, and we met a lot of kind people.

4. There are a lot of harsh accents. I'm guessing, though, that depending on how much you care about the person, those become easier to overlook. And, they can be a bit amusing at times.

5. The Boston College campus is lovely. It's all Hogwart-ish and beautiful.

6. Things are far less convenient than when living in the South. It reminds me very much of living in Ukraine; you know, where you buy only what you can carry and you travel a lot by foot.

7. Parking is a nightmare. Seriously. I'm probably going to have nightmares about parking for the next year.

8. I do think it's rather true that most people are social drinkers. We were very much an oddity at an event we went to...we were the only ones ordering Coke. Awkward face...

9. Public transportation IS very much a way of life. I do appreciate a public transportation lifestyle most of the time. The train stop is about 50 yards from the front door of the apartment we rented. Yay, us!

10. People do eat organic and recycle a lot. They also HATE Wal-Mart. With a passion.

More to come on our visit. It was an adventure.