Zane is at least a year older than Mabel

In a lot of ways, it's been hard readjusting. I really miss the constant air of activity that I've lived with for the past months. Even if I wasn't directly involved in anything, there was more than a little comfort knowing that somewhere nearby, someone was always doing something no matter what time of the day or night it was. Life was so much more concentrated. I could walk for 20 minutes in a straight line and pass by more people, shops, restaurants, homes, businesses, and (sometimes) street vendors than I could take in if I spent all day on the same block. Now I can walk for 20 minutes and I might be able to get to the nearby vet's office, if I walk at a brisk pace. I think I really miss city life.

Fashions are really different, too. I'm barely a neophyte when it comes to trendy dress so I can't even begin to talk about it, but suffice it to say that I saw very few people dressed in jeans and college sweatshirts. There's a lot more of that here. I wonder why that is. Do people here simply have more school spirit, or is there less of a concern (or perhaps less pressure) about outward appearance.

One thing I know for sure is that there is a lot more emphasis on the spiritual side of things. For the past months, I felt like I was the spiritual, religious person, and nobody else really cared. Here, though, I feel like a lightweight.

Mostly though, it's just getting used to living almost by myself again. Two-and-a-half weeks ago I was sharing a flat with 16 other people, so there was always someone I could talk to, and we always had something to talk about, whether it was something one of our other flatmates said or did, or how nasty the kitchen was ('cause there were only like 4 people who ever cleaned in there), or work, or vacations and trips, or anything else for that matter. And with that many other folk around, even if I'd never talked to anyone outside the flat, I doubt I'd ever have had the same conversation twice. So, as you can imagine, living now with only two other people - both of whom I'm related to - is a very different experience.

Hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining; I'm just trying to get used to the differences between here and there. I wonder if I'll be more comfortable when I move in at school next week?

PLUR!