A different kind of hike

The past few weeks I have been busy getting acclimated to my new job and schedule, but I'm not one to be all work and no play. And since the weather has been a-ma-zing, we've tried to spend as much time outside on the weekends as we can.

A good representation of the trails.

Yesterday, we went with a friend of mine on a hike in the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is just southwest of downtown and has amazing hiking and biking trails; there are even cliffs for those who want to go rock climbing. This was my first experience do anything outdoorsy in Austin. I'm still amazed at how green this area is. Hiking in Austin is quite different than the hiking I've done in the Utah mountains, but it's still just as much fun. Next time, we want to hike on the other side where there's a waterfall and we can go swimming. 
 
We have some other excursions planned for the next few months, especially since I've been told that now is the perfect weather to do all the outdoor activities (I believe it since yesterday was around 90 degrees with a nice breeze and what I would classify as a perfect day). It feels wonderful to know that all these activities are so close.

Starting to feel like home

So I have now been in Austin for over a month. Crazy!! It feels longer and shorter at the same time. Overall, very nice. I do feel like this is my new home, especially now that I have an apartment. I'm way excited to not be living in a hotel anymore. And the new place is about twice the size as my one in Salt Lake. Of course, since I don't have a lot of stuff, it's just empty space; But it's my empty space and I like it. I'll take some photos and post them.

As for what I've been doing. I'm am just about done writing my letter of intent (read about that dilemma) and applying to grad school. I've been exploring the city, which is quite awesome. There is so much good food. I want to call out some of them specifically later. There is such a variety. The people are also really nice. I've made some good connections with designer types.

Also, I love that the coldest its gotten during the day is 50, and 30 at night. Sorry to all my Utah friends who have had to fight the snow. I'm pretty grateful I got out just in time :)

Take a dart and throw it at a map

Since I announced my move to Austin, one of the most popular questions is, "Why Austin?" Sure it seems random because I only announced it a few weeks ago, but this decision has been a long process. The timing of my move is quicker than I even thought; I wasn't planning on moving till next summer. But when everything is yelling at you it's time to move, you go.

At the beginning of this year, I made my decision to go to grad school; the first question was where. I was definitely wanting to leave Utah because I've been here for so long (11 years!!). Adrian first suggested Arizona because that's where his dad lives. Then we were looking at San Antonio. Then Austin. My family lived in Arizona for a year when I was younger and the only things I can remember are the intense heat and the fact that everyone had a pool; Arizona was not my first option. So I began to look into Texas.

I will admit that one of the main factors in deciding where to live was weather. I have lived the majority of my life in places with snow (Indiana and Utah). Winter to me equates to hibernation and cold. I loved going to California for Christmas and seeing lights on palm tress. When I went online and searched for the weather information on Texas cities, Austin was the most moderate. Sure there's the humidity and it does get fairly hot in summer, but very little, if any, snow. Winter is actually the nice, cool season!! I could go for that kind of a switch. Plus, compared to the other major Texas cities, Austin doesn't have many of those pesky natural disasters like hurricanes.

Once we decided on Austin and I looked into the University of Texas, I become excited. The university has a lot to offer: great professors in what I want to study, great resources, a progressive attitude towards journalism and diversity(!!). I'm excited to visit the school when I arrive in Austin. Hopefully everything will work and out and next year I will be attending as a grad student.

Other perks to Austin are the great community and social activities. Austin is known as one of the top spots for live music. Pretty much every night you can find a band playing somewhere. Plus there is a great downtown area, 6th Street, that they sometimes shut down for festivities. As for culturally, Austin has many museums, including the Blanton Museum, Mexic-Arte Museum and George Washtington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. I am extremely excited to be around more diversity and cultural activities.

The more I learn about Austin, the more excited I become. I'll be closer to a beach. Austin has bike trails, natural springs and a lake. Wow!! There is so much to do. My official moving date has been set for Oct. 25. In a week I will hop in my car, filled with all my belongings, and head off to my new adventure in Austin. And once I'm settled, anyone can come and visit. By that time, I'll be the perfect tour guide.