Claire's First Week in Portland

Okay, let me say this--the drive from Texas to Oregon is LONG. Outrageously long. I am so so thankful that my wonderful parents were able to come with me for the drive! There's no way I could have driven for three days and then tried to unpack all of my stuff into my new apartment without them.

We took my parents to the famous Voodoo Donut in downtown Portland, and I got to take them to see my new school campus, Portland State! I couldn't give them much of a tour, since I don't really know my way around yet, but they at least got to see what it looked like. :)

The weather has been SO perfect the entire time I've been here, which has been awesome. My dad got to ride a bike trail, and we got to spend a lot of time walking around downtown and over by Concordia University on Alberta Street. It just started cooling down today, so maybe I can break out my sweaters and boots that have been packed away for months and months! In Texas, I still wouldn't even be able to wear any of them for another month at least.

One thing I already love about Portland? Delicious food. I haven't eaten one thing I haven't liked yet! There are Thai places everywhere (I still miss Ann's Thai in Abilene, though), and apparently they have a lot of food carts and things on PSU's campus during the school year. I'm so excited to go to more hole-in-the-wall places; restaurants here are really big on serving food that's been grown locally, which is great.

I should have taken more pictures, but most of the time I just didn't think to bring my camera. (I'll make sure I bring it in the future!)

I can't believe I've already been here a week--it doesn't seem like that long. I think it still feels like I'm visiting Portland, not like I actually live here. Maybe once class starts in a couple of weeks and I get into a routine, it'll start to sink in that I live in Oregon now! Weird.

-Claire