Miami is not one of those cities.
I arrived here yesterday afternoon after a grueling 6-day car ride in an unairconditioned vehicle. My boyfriend and I were exhausted and hungry and looking for a respite for a day and a half before he flies back to San Diego. The good thing is that my room is very sweet and comfortable, and my landlords seem like wonderful people. They made us dinner. Miryam made John coffee this morning and brought it in with cream and sugar. They piled us into their car last night and we drove all around Little Havana so I could see where I was going to work and what was around. I am infinitely grateful to them for their hospitality while I am in this place. You can see me and my cat in my new surroundings in the two photos. Obviously Lucius has adapted quicker than me.
The bad thing is that it's bloody hot and so muggy that I'm wiping water off of my arms every few minutes. It's not a very clean city and it seems like nothing ever truly dries out. Also, the culture of Miami exists on a plane that I don't necessarily jive with. The Latino culture (Cuban culture?) is very loud and boisterous and full of smells and sounds that my North German roots don't take in easily. While I love the music and the pride of the people, I am troubled by their lack of spatial awareness and a speed of life that is about ten to fifteen notches slower than the big city pace to which I am so accustomed. Much of this, to be sure, is a result of living in intense heat and sunlight, where the mind and body instintively slow down, and perhaps I will fall into this over the next few months as well. Right now, however, I am tripping over people and having trouble sorting out the chaos of my surroundings.
I will adapt to all of this, though I do not think I will ever be excited about the club culture here. I also don't think my mind will slow down enough to overlook spatial unawareness. We'll see. As of right now I just want to start work so I can be more productive and less whiny.
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