With the tremendous help from my dear friends Shanna & Igor, I made it safely to Pittsburgh on Saturday evening. I’m going to miss them and New York so much! It’s been one of the greatest summers of my life, on par with the summer after I graduated from Wyoming.
But alas, on to this next part of my life which feels kind of like everything is happening in a blur. How did I get accepted to CMU? How did I end up here. Am I really unpacked and in the place I’m going to live in Pittsburgh?! I don’t know a soul here!
But before I hyperventilate, let me fill you in on the deets: I rented an SUV one way to get all my New York stuff to Pennsylvania. I committed myself to a large project in New York right before I left, so I didn’t start packing until Friday…I hadn’t accumulated that much stuff anyway :). Brunches and dinners with the rest of Destiny’s Child II (Igor, Shanna, and I; naturally). Igor helped me pick up the car and I couldn’t ask for a more re-assuring co-pilot as I nearly ripped off the steering wheel from fear. I was driving in New York City. Let me repeat that again in bold: I was driving in New York City. My friends know 1) how bad I am at driving and 2) How afraid I was about this part of moving.
After loading the car in under an hour, Shanna I hit the not-so-open road. There was this nervous excitement and freedom we felt driving over the Robert Kennedy Bridge with the Manhattan skyline to our left. We were even giddy about being getting stuck in traffic briefly. I even almost honked at someone! When you cross the bridge to New Jersey, the view of the land meeting the river is gorgeous. There is a steep drop from the city to the river and it’s covered in green-life. Shanna was surprised.
Drive, drive, drive, and in no time at all we were in Pennsylvania. Since I have never been on the east coast before besides New York, and because I’ve never visited Pennsylvania before moving, I didn’t know what to expect. The further we drove, the more hilly and green our surroundings got. Pretty soon we were winding around green mountains that got bluer as they receded into the distance. I’m pretty sure I was more excited about this than Shanna because every five minutes I was like “look at that!”
On the drive, down town after dropping Shanna off, and view from Schenley Park.
And then Pittsburgh itself. It’s nestled in the hills and there is city & scenery in one as you drive past all the rivers, bridges, and hills at the same time you’re driving past those oh-so unique old houses and buildings with perfect architecture and details. My favorite. I want to take pictures of everything and I pretty much have.
In case you were wondering: I am staying at place pretty close to campus in an area called Oakland in a large house where the owners take in international students….well, international students and me. There are two girls from China, one from Korea, and one from Germany. My room is gigantic! I’m pretty sure it’s as big as a small studio in New York. I haven’t explored too much, but the owners are incredible kind and have taken me on a tour of the city and short tour of the building I’ll be on campus. Like, their favorite places to eat, where kids hang out, best places to shop, how to get the the grocery stores, this and that. It’s really amazing and I thought I wouldn’t need it but I really appreciate it. I wish I could have a tour of every city I move to.
I mean, nothing has happened yet, but I think I might like Pittsburgh. I just need to find some friendz.
Come visit me soon! I miss you.
Ps. There supermarkets here are called ‘Big Eagle’. Still not as weird as Colorado’s ‘King Soopers.’