Georgia on my mind

As husband-dear and I went on our long ride last Friday, I realized how incredibly beautiful this part of Georgia actually is. There are pecan orchards, undulating green hills, peach orchards, old antebellum farms tucked away behind giant trees, and miles of cotton fields that will, in a few months, look like fields of snow.

I know I spend a lot of time complaining about this part of the world. And I have to tell you, a lot of it is true. There are far too many churches, far too many people who honestly believe that the sun revolves around the earth (a recent study carried out by a co-worker revealed this number to be around 10%), far too few people who know how to drive when there are cyclists on the road, and the bugs are just too big to be allowed at all.

But Georgia does have its redeeming features. And as I'm about to leave it for close to five weeks, I decided that it might be nice to discuss those for once. As husband-dear and I were battling an insane wind, I thought about all the things I would miss while away, and there are actually a fair amount of things I know I'll long for.

First, the friendliness of the people. Call it what you want, but people down here are just nice. They ask you how you are, wish you a good day, and hold doors for you when they see you coming. They have no problems loaning you their car, their eggs, their help, and don't really ever expect anything in return. Walk down any street in Georgia, and every single person you see will say "Hey", and wish you a good morning/afternoon/evening. I know that most Dutch people will argue the friendliness is superficial, or even insincere, but you know what, I will take that over Dutch surliness any day.

Second, the food. I know, I know, it's not very nutritional, and when consumed in large amounts, far from healthy, but southern soul food just rocks. There is nothing like fried pickles for a snack, biscuits and gravy for breakfast, and fried chicken with cole slaw for dinner. You may need to run a marathon after you're done eating, but people, it's good.

Third, the air conditioning. If you think missing AC is somewhat ridiculous, you've obviously never been to the south, because the expression "hotter than hell" has nothing on heat in the south. Stepping from 90F heat into a building whose air conditioning is set so low you get goosebumps is possibly one of the nicest feelings ever. Now only for about five minutes mind you, as at that point you will start to freeze to death, but those first five minutes are awesome. Now, although I know that the part of China we're headed to is as hot and humid as Georgia, I haven't heard anything about air conditioning. And to be honest, that thought gives me pause. I can't imagine living in these temperatures without central air, so let's all keep our fingers crossed my room has at least a window unit.

And finally, the way people talk. The Beach Boys hit the nail on the head when they claimed that the way southern girls talk knocked them out, because the southern vernacular is incredibly endearing. Phrases like "y'all", "I might could", and "carmel" (as opposed to "car-a-mel") not only sound really pretty, they also somehow worm their way into your vocabulary in a heartbeat. Having lived both in the Northeast ("pahk the cah ovah theh!") and in Texas ("I tell yew wHat"), I am convinced that neither accent has anything on the Georgia drawl.

So there you have it - I'm not all vinegar. There are things I will miss about Georgia (and I haven't even mentioned my unlimited access to a pool, a roadbike, a gym, and miles and miles of road to run on).

However, having said all of that- Let the countdown begin!