Boy from Kentucky Update

So, it's been about a month since classes started and, while I cannot say that I've completely adjusted, things certainly seem to be improving. I'm starting to get the readings under control, which is quite the accomplishment given that there are an insane amount of readings to do. Had my first presentation this week and with the exception of my not having made enough eye contact, the scary French professor had little to say in the way of criticism. Enough about school though…

Soirées Are Fun!

After a couple of weeks hanging out with just myself—and being really bored doing it—I finally went out with some people from French and Italian last night. We went to Alivia's Durham Bistro, a little restaurant downtown, and had a lot of fun. Good beer, good food, good company. In fact, with the exception of the waiter that uncannily resembled someone I used to work with, it was a fantastic place to start the evening. It was great to see some of the people that I got to meet when I visited back in March, as well as to meet lots of new ones. After we were done at Alivia's, we decided to check out a bar called Whiskey. It was a neat little place, with the feel of a 20s speakeasy. We even all drank our drinks standing around an upright piano, though no one was playing. Jacquie and I both had a drink called a Dykki, and while I'm sure that isn't spelled right, it was a tasty little concoction. First the bartender chilled the glasses with ice water, then gave them an absinthe rinse—which is exactly what it sounds like—before finally filling the glasses with an assortment of clear liqueurs that I cannot recall, though vodka and gin were present for sure. All in all, it was a great evening out with the Duke crowd, one that went a little further in convincing me that I have made the right decision by coming here.

You can take the boy out of Kentucky, but let's see if you can take the Kentucky out of the boy…

I've always wanted to be a blogger. I've tried several times over the last six years, but never really had any motivation to blog about anything in particular. Having just uprooted my entire life to relocate to Durham, NC for graduate school at Duke, I think I may have found the inspiration to start writing down my thoughts. It should be an interesting year: new state, new people, new school, new program, new apartment, the list goes on and on. I've never lived alone, so that should be exciting as well. I can't promise that it will always be funny, but I hope it will be entertaining. After all, if it's not, you don't have to read…

To catch you up, I'm still a little buried in boxes, but things are coming along. I've met a few people, but am really looking forward to classes and orientation starting so that I can start to test the waters out with the people I'll be working with. It strange: I visited Duke for two days and somehow managed to make a life-changing decision based on the impression I gathered during that time. I guess that speaks very much to the caliber of the people I met here, particularly the graduate students! Basil is settling in. Mostly she just sleeps, not that that's really all that much different than before. I do miss Lexington and my life there, but all in all I'm really excited about what's to come.

Thanks for reading along with me.