hey there, it’s me, hannah!
so, i’ve been in minnesota for almost 2 weeks now, and the great white north has given me quite a welcome. it is 0 degrees outside as i type this, and i’m pretty sure that’s the high for today … it literally shocks my body as i exit the warm building.
however, the only real complaint against the cold is that my car would not start this morning. i’m telling you, if machines can’t even survive in this weather, how are humans supposed to?!? [i say we should vote to transplant the whole state further south. we’ll get a majority, no problem.]
but even the car problems got ironed out without too much trouble. thankfully my sister emily has jumper cables, and our apartment manager jon is a boss at figuring out how to put those things on. old tilly [my white le sabre] is running like a champ now, and we got our shopping done with no further incidents.
i’ve been struck by how quickly things happen here in the good old united states. i walked into verizon and within 20 minutes i was walking out with a fully functioning smart phone in my hands, trying to memorize my new number. and it’s an iphone. and it has a sparkly case. i feel so american.
the shock is still wearing off — the shock of walking into a store and finding it fully stocked. the shock of the cashier not glaring at me for handing her a big bill. the shock of customer service. the shock of clean, smooth, wide roads.
and yet, the great white winter chill is still the most shocking of all.
wanderlove 
Hey hannah,I loved your last two articles. I am from America,and I live in America, and my favorite place about Minnesota is the Boundary Waters in Ely, Minnesota. Have you heard of it or been there? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it because of its thousands of lakes and beauty. Its a really great place for camping and canoeing. i went there a few years ago over the summer, and it is so serene, and so unpopulated, with loons cooing at night and you can see eagles in their nests in the day time. i really recommend you see that place.
From a reader, applebeetmahimahi
thank you for reading! i have not been to the boundary waters, but have heard many good things! i hope to go someday.