Well, we did it! We’ve talked and dreamed and schemed about it for so long, and after 5 or so years, we finally moved to Vermont on February 18. That means we’ve been here for about 3 weeks now. Let me fill you in on what’s happened since then.

We arrived in Burlington on February 18, after two long days of driving our two vehicles, packed w/ our basic necessities. Our temporary abode is a 3 BR 1 BA house, provided by the University of Vermont Medical Center, my new employer. The house is literally right next to the hospital. For now, my daily commute is a 5 minute walk – nothing wrong with that! The house is fully furnished, which means we were able to leave our furniture back home in our house on Randall Court. (It’s currently up for sale for a very reasonable price – tell your friends and family! 2 Randall Court ) Unfortunately, it also means we had to leave Frodo behind temporarily, so he’s staying with the Fluhrs for now. We’ll head back to Jacksonville over Easter weekend for a quick pickup of cat and furniture.

For now, we’ve settled in well at our temporary digs. Andriy and I both started our new jobs on February 25. I’m an inventory controller in the central sterile department at UVMMC. Basically that means I make sure all surgical supplies are stocked and that our inventory levels are appropriate. It’s very focused work that demands constant surveillance, so that means my days go quickly. I like it so far – plus I get to wear scrubs, which is basically like wearing pajamas at work.

Andriy is working in accounts receivable for Cabot Creamery in Waitsfield, Vermont. If you have never tried Cabot cheese before, I highly recommend you pick up a block of Cabot Extra Sharp or Seriously Sharp Cheddar the next time you are at the grocery store. It’s so good.https://www.cabotcheese.coop/

There is a lot to do here, even in the winter, so we’ve taken full advantage of that since we’ve arrived.

Week 1: Familiarize ourselves with our surroundings.

We both had a week before we started work, so we used that time to find out important and useful places nearby. Places visited in our first week included the nearby post office, grocery store, pharmacy, car wash, department stores. We also started the search for a more permanent living space. We decided to rent our first year or two, so we visited a handful of apartments before finding one in a good location that we both agreed on.

We also had the opportunity to go cross country skiing for the first time. We learned about a free ski rental day at nearby Bolton Valley Resort, and decided to check it out. It was awesome!

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Week 2: Get to work

We both began work on February 25, so that meant the start of new routines. My work day begins at 7:00, and Andriy has a 30-40 minute commute, so that means we’re up early. The first week means lots of orientation items and learning how to do our jobs, so it’s exhausting and kind of scary, but necessary.

This also was when the 2nd stage of culture shock started to hit me. My honeymoon phase was over and I was beginning to experience homesickness and frustration. Thankfully, my time in Peace Corps prepared me for this, so I knew it was a normal step in adjusting to a new place. Getting into a regular routine is essential to adjustment, so having a regular work, sleep, eat and relaxation schedule helps.

We also signed a lease for our new apartment in Williston, just outside of Burlington. We will be able to move in April 1. It’s in a very nice area with modern amenities. More photos of this to come!

Week 3: Setting the routine and exploring!

Thus began our second week of work. We were settling into our new routine, giving us a sense of normalcy. This is essential to moving onto the third phase of culture shock, which is adjustment.

I felt the desire to get out and see more, so my plan was to stay busy and go see and do some very “Vermonty” things.

Andriy came home with 2 free tickets to the University of Vermont men’s basketball game vs UMass Lowell, so we went and cheered on our local top-ranked college team – Go Catamounts!

One of the Vermonty things on my list is to visit a sugar house to watch maple syrup being made. We visited nearby Palmer’s Sugar House yesterday to watch how it’s done and to try “sugar on snow.” This is basically snow (or shaved ice) with maple syrup poured over it. They served it in the traditional Vermont way, with a donut and a pickle. Weird, I know. We learned that the sap isn’t flowing yet due to cold temps, so we’ll plan a visit to another sugar house sometime in the next couple of weeks.

We ended our evening w/ an amazing meal at Guild Tavern. This farm-to-table restaurant specializes in wood grilled steaks and burgers. I ate the best shrimp I’ve ever had. It was pricey, but worth every cent. Highly recommended.

I’ll share more of my Vermont experiences as they happen. Check back later for more adventures!