Buckeye in GA

Well friends, it has been a lengthy while, but here finally is a new post.

It's been five weeks since I first stepped foot into Valdosta, GA. It seems like just yesterday I was starting my senior year of college, not knowing what was next. But now, things are flying by and I have to say it has been fun.

Valdosta, GA, where I now reside, is quite the city. For the first time in my life, I consider myself part of a "diverse" city. Certainly it is not like Athens diverse, and definitely not even close to my hometown diverse (the only minority in my class was one Mexican kid). This city of approximately 40,000 residents features all different types of locations and all kinds of characters. One example is the north side of town vs. the south side. It's kind of like Cubs-White Sox (well not really), but there are two rival schools here. You have Valdosta High School on the north side and Lowndes High School (essentially) on the south side. Although I have not witnessed it yet, I have been told that the town basically shuts down when these two rivals go head-to-head in football. For those of you unfamiliar with some of the tradition of high school football around here I will give you this insert (per wikipedia).

"Valdosta has a strong high school football tradition. The Valdosta High School Wildcats have the winningest high school football program in the country.[14] Its record from 1913 through 2004 includes six national championships, 23 state championships, and 41 regional championships. Cross-town rival Lowndes High School has also built a strong program, winning four state titles since 1980 (including 2004, 2005 and 2007).[1]"

Both schools are the reason why a town like Valdosta, GA, even gets a mention on ESPN, thanks to their titletown special.

But enough about football, let's talk more about the city. I really do enjoy what is offered around here. I feel like the place still has that bit of a hometown feel, but it is still large enough that you will find things to do. I mean, there are restaurants all over, there is a $2 theatre, and there are some decent bars (though I've only experience three so far). The university is plopped right into the middle of the city, so things are never too far away. It's great to see the different mix of people at the university. You will have your stereotypcial "southerners" with the country accents and everything, but you will also find people from Atlanta and other places farther north who talk much more similar to me. (I have already met a few people originally from Ohio and Michigan). The university features quite the mix of ethnicities: Black, White, the occasional Asian, and a few randoms in-between. It's funny to me, since this is the largest city I have lived in, to see some stereotypes come true. For instance, nearly every gas station around here is like a "Kwik-e-Mart" because of who is working behind the counter. And yes, the Mexican population has a strong showing as restaurant employees. Fascinating stuff, I know.

It is cool to see how many UGA fans there are in the area. You can tell that they think of their team the way Ohioans think of the Buckeyes. The other day I saw a man at the bank, dressed in a Bulldog shirt with the Bulldog logo everywhere. The logo must have been on his clothing 500 some times. But it is definitely not all UGA around here. Since I live near the Florida border, I run into the occasional Gator fan. It reminds of my days back home, when I lived near the Michigan border, and saw the occasional Wolverines gear. So you can see the pride of these people and their sports teams. It is pretty fun being down here; the only thing I will need to figure out next is... Where or where will I watch my Buckeye games?

Don't fret Buckeye fans, I'll find that place.