Knocking around Knoxville

The drive from Memphis (or, in my case, just outside) to Knoxville is fraught with big city traffic and mountain passes, but blessed by some of the most gorgeous landscapes I've ever seen, farmhouses on rolling hills that would put *insert old, dead, white, British guy*'s pastorals to shame. My parents rode in front of me in the over-sized UHaul Daddy insisted on renting as I followed behind in my white hatchback, fighting off the impulse to sleep or turn back for home and its promises of familiarity. The trip took us about 7 hours total, and we drove all night, which was a good idea to beat the traffic and the heat. I got to Knoxville yesterday around 9:30 a.m., and I've been knocking around ever since.

I must say, UT's campus is huge and confusing. There are too many one-way streets and streets that don't lead anywhere for my comfort level, but I'm sure I'll have them all figured out in a week's time. The campus isn't as pretty as I'm used to, but at this point in my journey, nothing looks so good as UCA or Conway, Arkansas, because its all I know. I'm sure I'll grow to love it here.

My apartment is a small, one bedroom unit owned by UT. The rent is a little more than I was paying in Conway, but I feel like that I'm living in a community of graduate students who are all in the same boat as me. Most of my neighbors are international students, and many of them are older, they have families. I've seen lots of children playing in the pool and on the playground behind my building. The family atmosphere is nice.

Across the street from me is a whole slough of interesting little shops. A locally-owned pizza/subshop, where I lunched today (it was good enough), a thrift store, an art gallery, and a farmer's market. There is also an assortment of smally, sketchy gas stations and a trailer park, which makes me feel like I'm driving down Dave Ward past Satterfield's all over again. I've also discovered a cemetary with a nice paved trail throughout it just down the street, and I'm thinking of strolling through later on tonight, because, oddly, cemeteries make me feel at home. I think it's because I'm from small town Mississippi, where so much life revolves around the cemetery: I learned to drive taking the back roads from my house to the community graveyard where my entire family is buried. Every first Saturday in May is graveyard clean off day, which brings the whole community together in the heat for laughs to bellow, tears to fall, and tempers to flare. Yeah, I like cemeteries. And I'm going to walk in the one down the street, if I ever finish unpacking.

Unpacking is a major chore. I decree here unto the world, I have no plans to ever move again after I finish my Master's degree, find a job, and move to that city. Okay, world, keep me accountable.

I begin my graduate student orientation on Monday. All week we have workshops and lunches and happy hours planned, so it looks like I'll be extremely busy. I like the idea of that. Meeting friends, making memories. That's my favorite part of life.

I'll keep you updated on my progress.