Give it 6 months

That's what they say about packing up your life and moving to an entirely new and strange place.  It takes at least 6 months to acclimate and get a clear picture of your new surroundings, as well as "get over" the loss of your previous home.  For me, I know it takes a lot longer than that..so stay tuned.  Since this week marks the 6 month point in Wisconsin for us, and we are starting the new year, I thought I would do some reflecting on the positive (and not-so-positive) aspects of our experience in Wisconsin so far. 

5 Things I Miss in Wisconsin:

1. Family and Friends:  This one is mainly due to proximity, not anything specifically against Wisconsin.  When your nearest friends are 2.5 hours away, and 99% of friends and family are a 12-15 hour drive away, it makes it challenging to stay in touch with friends and also requires one to make a conscious effort to get out and meet new people to stay socially connected.  That's not to mention the disappointment of missing events and gatherings that you wish you could attend, but simply can't due to limited time or lack of money.

2. Mountains:  Sorry, Wisconsin, another one where you just don't stand a chance.  I always say when we visit Out West (and now when we go home to PA and VA), "I hope the people who live here don't ever take this beauty for granted."  Whether you simply drive by and look at the mountains,  hike into them, or live way up there, mountains are much more than just part of the landscape.  And that goes for the Rockies, the Tetons, the Appalachians, the Alleghenies, and all the ranges in between.  As conservationist John Muir said, "I am in the mountains, and the mountains are in me."

Aerial view of Carvin's Cove Reservoir from the Applachian Trail, Virginia

3. Southern hospitality:  While most prevalent in my experience in Virginia, my experience thus far suggests southern hospitality is not a virtue here.  That's not to say there are not nice people (the Minnesotans are actually known for their "Minnesota nice" over the Wisconsinites).  But there is not a simple kindness that goes along with day to day contact with strangers as I have grown accustomed to in Virginia.  For example, in Virginia, I had many impromptu conversations with strangers in an aisle of the store talking about what product one uses, family and friends, the weather, etc.  In Wisconsin, almost no one smiles or says "excuse me"....and I have twice been criticized/lectured about products I was looking at in the grocery store (if you wanted to know, multivitamins and peanut butter on separate occasions).  In Virginia, I often got irritated because people WITH the right of way on the roads would stop and wave for me to go.  Here, good luck with that- just try not to get run off the road or hit a huge pothole.

4. Above zero winter temperatures:  Now that I have experienced a -30 degree wind chill as of the polar vortex last week, my perception of this aspect of Wisconsin winter will not be taken for granted again.  While typical January temps in this area of Wisconsin should be in the 20s (really not bad when you think about it), last week we had 7 days straight of single digits and below zero highs.  Please don't whine when it's 20 degrees that it's "soooooo cold outside!"  Keep in mind that -30 feels nearly 50 degrees colder than positive 20.  It's so dangerously cold it doesn't even hurt anymore- while hard to imagine, it gets even colder in other places.

Below zero activities

5. Comfort foods:  Good luck finding a decent cheesesteak, hoagie, soft pretzel, pizza, sweet tea, BBQ sandwich with slaw, Yuengling...nowhere to be found (yet). 



Five Things I really like about Wisconsin:

1. Local foods:  I love the fact that I can find so many products made/grown in Wisconsin.  Not only does this work well for locavores who are interested in buying local, but most of these products also save us money.  I would say our average grocery bill has been reduced by about $10 comparatively because I can switch to Wisconsin products which costs less- everything from cheese and milk, maple syrup, honey, breads, meats, paper goods, and beer and wine.  For example, I used to buy Kraft grated parmesan cheese.  I found a local shredded parmeasan, which not only tastes better, but it costs $1 less than Kraft and comes in the same size container.  Why wouldn't I buy it?

2. Football community:  If you have to move on from 2 college towns that really love their football, move to Green Bay.  People come from all over the world to go to Lambeau Field.  The dedication and sense of community for the Packers is very similar to my experiences in State College and Blacksburg.  Everyone wears their gear everywhere and everyone is a fan year-round, win or lose.  The small city atmosphere really helps fuel the sense of ownership in the team, even for the non-season ticket holder, recent arrivals like us.  Everyone in Wisconsin loves the Wisconsin Badgers too...but I can't jump on that bandwagon.  Let's Go State!

Lambeau Field, August 2014 pre-season game

3. Lake Michigan:  The Lake has really been a highlight for me along with all the associated points of interest- lighthouses, shore towns, ferries, waterfront hike/bike trails, and coastal birds.  It's the third largest Great Lake, and the only one contained entirely within the US.  Michigan (the Lake and the state) is derived from the Ojibwe word michigami meaning "great waters."  Well played.

Lake Michigan sunrise, Point Beach State Forest

4. State parks and recreational areas:  Wisconsin has a very well managed and funded system of state parks.  We enjoyed camping and recreating in several last fall.  Many other states do not have the sheer number of parks, nor the facilities that these places have.  Even in the City of Green Bay, we have the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary and Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve funded and managed by local governments, as well as the Green Bay Botanical Garden nonprofit, just to name a few.  And Wisconsinites are not only dedicated to their parks in nice weather- they certainly don't hibernate in the winter.  Everyone participates in winter outdoor recreation like skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.

5. Conservation ethic:  Since both Scott and I are natural resource professionals, we have to appreciate the strong values that Wisconsinites hold for the environment.  Recycling, valuing outdoor recreation opportunities (see above), as well as recognition for notable conservation names that lived in Wisconsin (e.g., Aldo Leopold, John Muir, even Frank Lloyd Wright).  You can see why recreational areas are so valued (and people are willing to pay for their upkeep) as a result of this culture that becomes part of residents at an early age.

Aldo Leopold's shack, Baraboo (October 2013)