Muse back!
July 27, 2007 / Friday
Work Trip Wrap-up
I'm writing this post on my flights back to SFO, based on notes I've been taking the last couple weeks about my impressions of the Raleigh-Durham area. Here are those notes, expanded...
The people: Everyone is noticeably more friendly and polite here than in the Bay Area. Eye contact, followed by a "Hello", seems to be the norm. I've quite enjoyed being able to say hello without feeling like the other person thinks I'm strange for talking to them.
The trees: There are lots of them, and they're all green. I don't have to go to a preserve to find bunches of them, and I don't have to wait until winter for the vegetation to show some healthy color. I've found the abundance of greenery quite soothing; I'm going to really miss seeing all those trees along the road when I ride to work Monday morning.
The roads: The roads here are in beautiful condition. There are lots of one lane, tree lined routes, too. It's a motorcyclist's dream.
The water: It's warm. I jumped in a lake and didn't think twice about the temperature. When I got out, I air dried and didn't shiver. In know air drying has nothing to do with water temperature, but in any case, if I lived here I might actually spend more time in the water, which would be a huge help in terms of learning to be comfortable in the stuff.
The houses: They're cheap. There's development going on everywhere, too. Mortgage on a decent house here costs less than rent on my apartment, which boggles my mind. I'm tempted to buy a place simply because it's such a good deal; I think this area will appreciate considerably in the coming years.
The office: Okay, so that's not going to exist after this Wednesday, but I liked it more than the home office. There's a lot to be said for the people and culture at a workplace.
The accent: There's a bit of a drawl, but it's not super thick. It's kind of cute, actually, and I've definitely picked some of it up during my stay. That's not surprising, given how quickly I pick up accents. Maybe I'll just keep talking like this for fun. :)
The pictures: They're here.
July 27, 2007 06:01 PM | Trips
Comments
just from your periodic photo postings i could tell you were having a blast. excellent!
maybe something friendly is in the air back east this year. felt the same way when i went to boston last month. here's hoping it works its way westward...
Posted by: heather at July 27, 2007 10:10 PM
I agree about the housing prices, and I'd move there for the prices but zomg it's a red state!
Posted by: brando at July 30, 2007 09:28 AM
I had that "red state" moment for a bit, but then I realized that people act like assholes in a lot of blue states. Hahaha...
Posted by: Viv at July 30, 2007 09:42 AM
I have some friends and their parents that moved to North Carolina for a year or so seeking less expensive housing, and they eventually moved to Oregon -- partly, I'm told, due to NC's intolerance (homophobia, etc.) :-/ It was just too much of a shock coming from the bay area.
Posted by: McJedi at July 30, 2007 09:45 AM
I wonder what part of NC? I was in a pretty urban/academic part of the state; it's probably why I didn't feel too out of place.
Posted by: Viv at July 30, 2007 09:48 AM