Hotty Toddy

One way to describe the drive from Texas to Mississippi on I-20: Texas-bumpbump-Mississippi. Seriously, Louisiana's roads are awful. As soon as you hit the their state line, it's rough driving. And as soon as you pass into the next state line, it's smooth again. Mississippi was a pleasant surprise. At least the I-20 drive to Jackson and the I-55 drive to Oxford were beautiful. Everything is extremely well kept and green. So green. Oxford was all that a southern town should be. I had seen it once before, but I was so focused on my interview that weekend that it's a complete blur. Summer in Oxford means huge magnolia trees with white blooms, hydrangeas all over the place, and huge, live oaks shading everything in sight. The campus is gorgeous. It looks like a picture out of Southern Living, as my mother kept saying. Imagine tons of white pillar columns and red brick. Most people there are extremely friendly and very southern. Women go in line first, always say yes m'am, talk with a drawl so thick you can't understand kind of southern. It's like stepping back in time. Some observations made by myself and by my mom [disclaimer: these are all generalizations & exaggerations]:

~ A lot of the women look like they're going to a beauty pageant [big hair, lots of makeup & jewelry, dressed to the nines]

~A lot of the guys are super fratty [pink polos, starched khaki shorts, sperry's]

~There is still a sense of racial tension/separation in the area [especially between African American/Caucasian people]. I think it's probably improved a lot over the years, but it's still there, and it's sad.

~Things close really early in Oxford. We tried to go to fast food restaurant at 8 on a Saturday night and it was closed.

The square in downtown Oxford is where everything happens. There are lots of good, local restaurants and boutiques with great clothes. Oxford is so proud of their square that they don't want anyone commercial coming in town & putting local owners out of business. They wouldn't let Target come. I'm a little bitter about that one. The nearest town with things like a mall or Target is about 45 minutes away. Memphis is about an hour away. Good news is that I found my apartment and furniture! I'm that much closer to moving and settling in. I think it's a really charming, fun town, and I can't wait to explore it more!