I've been here in Georgia for about three and a half weeks now and I love it here.

I love the fall weather.
I love how green it is.
I love the nearby lake.
I love the community within Adventures staff and my fellow apprentices. 

Even though the transition has been surprisingly smooth, for a girl who has only ever lived in California (within the US), there are still some noticeable differences between my home state and my new residence. 

Here is a (not-so-serious) list of some very valuable lessons I've learned about Gainesville and Georgia in the last three weeks: 

1) Southern accents are contagious. And oh so fun to talk in! I'm going to try my best to stay strong, but I'll just apologize in advance now if I come home for Christmas with a new way of speaking.

2) College football can cause divisions as greatly as church denominations can. Pick your loyalties carefully. 

3) When asking the question, "How long does it take to get there?", the answer will always (yes, ALWAYS) "30 to 40 minutes". For its size, Gainesville does have quite a bit of things available, but with a lake in the middle of everything, it's all a little spread out. 

4) Spiders are about 100 times larger than spiders in California. And they WILL find a way into your home. Thankfully, I have a roommate who will (almost) fearlessly attack and kill them. 

5) Hurricanes actually affect me! No longer are they that random cloud pattern on the other side of the map during the weather report during the news. It was such an odd revelation to me when my co-worker mentioned that it'd been raining for so long because of Joaquin. We're back to some beautiful sunny weather, though. Praise Jesus!

6) It's humid. You know what that means? It can be both raining AND warm. How does one even begin to dress for that? I've still yet to figure that one out.

7) I'm surrounded by stores with strange names. Kroger, Publix, Belk, Cookout, Zaxby's... Never once have I heard of these places before. Yet they carry such glorious things inside of them. Also, Hardee's? It tricks you into thinking it's just like Carl's Jr., but it's not. Beware. 

8) Chick-fil-A. 'Nough said...But yes, you will crave it on Sunday, and no, they will not be open for you to enjoy a delicious breaded-chicken sandwich and waffle fries. 

With each little quirk I discover of my new home, I find myself thinking "Oh, Georgia" in the most endearing way possible. I never would have thought I'd be living in the South, but I'm so glad I'm here.