In just a few hours (okay, about 10) I will be getting on a plane for Baltimore, Maryland. I’m going to stay for at least the next 9 months (I’m in Americorps). Everytime I think about it, I get this fearful fluttering in my tummy. I’m scared.
Who would’ve ever thought I wouldn’t want to leave Mississippi? Not me. But I’m gonna miss this big old farm and the temperate winters and all my friends and the nice accents. All my well-meaning relatives keep telling me horror stories about the Yankees, which only makes it worse. Y’all don’t really eat brains, right? Right?
Dressing for the weather is very important. (God, never thought I’d say that to someone moving to friggin’ MARYLAND… I didn’t even bring my snow pants or my various thoroughly unattractive and uncomfortable pairs of long underwear to college.) Make sure you have a hat, the kind you can put over your ears. A jacket with a hood also works, but a hat makes you look like less of a goober. Your jacket should be heavy and uncomfortably warm when you wear it inside. Make sure you have gloves. Not the wussy little knit ones, but the big poofy ski ones. A scarf is useful. Sweaters are also a very good idea. If you’re going to be spending a -lot- of time walking around outside, or if you are a particularly delicate southern flower, you may want to get either some ski pants to go over your normal pants or some long underwear to go under them.
And don’t believe what people say about Baltimore! It isn’t really THAT scary, I swear.
Bon Voyage, Nichol. I went North of Tennessee myself once. Didn’t die from it, but I didn’t try to stay nine months either. And I sure as HELL didn’t go in the winter!
You’ll have to find a 'puter and keep us posted on your travels. Good luck!
I spent my formative years in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area, with frequent return trips to see the family, and I turned out just fine!
What? I’m serious! I’m fine!
It’s a neat area - do enjoy it and get out to see as much as you can when time permits. And go to at least one MAD gathering - that’s a must!
Well, here in North Carroll we got more than a few inches. We got six Saturday and another eight overnight. That’s fourteen on top of the inch or so of ice that was leftover from last week.
Stupid dumb state of maryland is in a stupid dumb state of emergency and I am out here in the stupid dumb panhandle which got stupid dumb dumped on and stupid dumb university decides not to close the stupid dumb school until stupid dumb 9am.
Baltimore isn’t yankee. Not by a longshot. It’s its own thing. Everything turns on whether you are county or city.
My Baltimore city kids are some of the best people I have ever taught in my life. Talk about spirit and pride.
Your relatives need lo look up their geography a bit. They’ve Officially Failed the Rebel History course… Maryland is south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The largest reason it didn’t join the Confederacy was a little matter of some 500 Union troops camped-out in the State House when the matter came up for vote.
Welcome! The best way to get acclimated is to go to a MAD dopefest. Anita’s is the next one, someone linked to it above. I am sure you’ll have no problem getting a ride if you need one, just post in the thread.
You should hear what we say goes on in Mississippi!
Seriously, welcome to town. I knew we’d be importing more MADs eventually. Now if we could only get you and everyone else to show up for a party or two!
