A City Girl in a Two-Horse Town

I've made the move - what feels like the ultimate sacrifice for academia.  I am now a city girl residing in a two-horse town. It's an abandoned wasteland, really. At any moment of any day, when ever I look around, I am constantly shocked by how few people there are, by how many empty storefronts/buildings/units there are...   You know when you're on the very outskirts of the city, in a semi-city, semi-industrial area that isn't fully developed and has lots of empty space?  That's what it feels like everywhere here. All. The. Time.

Then, I see a few of the people I was missing. And again, I sigh.  It seems that in this town, "high fashion" is to be dirty, ragged, and obese, while thinking you're a 19 year old model.  I've never seen such raggy people in my life. I've never seen so many stained gray sweats in my life. Unkempt hair. Unshaven faces. Waistlines that surpassed "bulge" a good 150 lbs ago. Each of these issues on their own is not the end of the world, but when you put them all together... and dress it in short shorts and a skin-tight tank top... YUK. 

I've also never seen so many bargain shops in my life. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a bargain as much as the next guy. But the clearance rack at a dirty discount store is not exactly what I aspire to.  Apparently it's the locals' idea of the ultimate shopping experience.

Every time I walk outside, I feel nauseated. Every. Single. Time. I try to seek out what passes for high class in this city. Starbucks. That's about it so far. 

In this time of discovery of this dirty new world around me, one thing gives me solace. Oddly, it's the one thing that terrifies me most and that I had been avoiding: work. I'm terrified of this new professor position. I'm afraid I will fail. I'm overwhelmed by the textbooks full of material that I have a shaky hold on at best. But, when I settle down and start to develop one of my courses, I lose myself in it, and I feel myself again.  I forget the grime that surrounds me and rediscover my love for my little (but quickly broadening) corner of academia.  I am ME.

This, of course, does not bode well for my development of a social life. It does, though, hold promise for my professional development in the year to come.

Yes, year. Not years.  This is a time-limited endeavor, y'all. This city girl won't last long in Grimeville.