First off, I apologize for this being the worst blog ever. Not much has happened in North Dakota because, well, it is tooooooooo COLD to do much of anything. Pinterest has replaced my blog for a spot to save recipes and a blog filled with reviews of old movies I watched or different teas I sipped daily doesn't seem too interesting. I drink A LOT of tea here. I recommended the Montana huckleberry.
All I can do is laugh because last year at this time, I thought I lived in the hottest place on earth (Melbourne hit record highs over 100 F). I remember vividly cursing to my friends about the lack of air conditioning. And now I am where I believe to be the coldest place on the planet. Temps have ranged for the HIGH from -9F to -26F with wind chills well into the -40's F. (Pause for dramatic effect - this is no joke).
Everyone asks me, "What do people do?" Believe it or not, the locals really don't let weather stop them from venturing out! They can be found bundled with layers of clothes, hats with ear flaps, and face masks if they are out for extended periods of time.
Everybody has a car starter which sure makes it confusing when searching for parking at the store! All the tail lights are on, but most of the time the driver is inside still shopping. I now can feel a large difference when the temp hits 30F. But I don't pull out the t-shirts like some locals do.
Everybody has a car starter which sure makes it confusing when searching for parking at the store! All the tail lights are on, but most of the time the driver is inside still shopping. I now can feel a large difference when the temp hits 30F. But I don't pull out the t-shirts like some locals do.
Channeling my inner Ralphie
I try to take something from every experience and this travel contract in western North Dakota opened my eyes to a completely different subculture here in the US. Quite honestly, sometimes I felt more foreign in rural Dickinson than in Australia. Our country is filled with so many strikingly different subcultures which makes it incredibly unique.
Example of something that does not happen in Washington, DC:
Some families will hold a pig slaughter or butchering party on Thanksgiving night in preparation for the winter. Everyone takes turns processing different parts of the pig or cow while having a few drinks. Then the meat is put in the extra freezer, because what if you can't get out of your house to buy food over winter?
A friend tried to teach me to knit, but I don't have the attention span to sit and complete anything. When I wear a scarf to work, people ask, "Did you make that?"
People will plug their cars in to prevent the fluids from freezing. I don't have a garage, so my vehicle sometimes takes 2-5 times to get going in the morning. I have to give Big Red plenty of encouragement to start her each day. At night if my car doesn't heat up on the way home from work, I drive with a blanket across my lap.
Oh yeah, my eyelids are peeling from the cold.
There is something quite charming about going back to basics: canning fruits for winter, cooking from scratch, & going to the butcher for local beef. Some of these activities are lost arts in my opinion.
But as a city slicker who values public transport, easy accessibility to everything, and a wide variety of food options, this placement was quite challenging at times. I feel like I understand a different way of life and give anyone who lives here HEAPS of credit.
My 13 weeks are almost complete. 2013 was certainly a bizarre transitional year and I'm happy to see it go. Cheers to 2014 and a new chapter! Wishing you a year filled with love, adventure, and happiness.
