From day one, Philly’s had me scratching my head.

To reduce hassle in the airport, I didn’t bring a lot of toiletries. After I settled into my dorm room on the University of Pennsylvania campus, I went to a grocery store to stock up on toiletries and food. Everything is way more expensive on the East Coast. A can of tuna jumped from 60 cents in Kansas to 95 cents. Avocadoes jumped a dollar to $3. Deli turkey in Kansas costs around $4.50 per pound. Here it’s $3.79 per half-pound. Needless to say I’ve cut eating and quality of food down so I don’t go poor.

My next task was trying to understand the public transit maps. The city map showing all bus, train, trolley and subway routes looks like a maze that many children tried to complete in a coloring book. I spent 90 minutes looking at the map trying to figure out what I needed to take to get to work. But I executed well, getting there on the first try. I actually like the transit system now that I’m adjusted. And it’s actually on time (take that KU on Wheels).

At work I had to adjust to the paper’s Italian-made program that it uses for everything. It’s a very weird system, with command buttons all out of place compared to where they are in most programs today, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. I definitely miss the UDK’s Adobe programs, though. The work is the same as it was at the Kansan; edit the story, write the headline and cutlines, and pass it on.

And did I mention I turned 21 Monday? I didn’t do that much, being the first day of work and all, but a few guys from the dorm went to a bar with me so I could have my first legal Guinness. I definitely wished I could be in Lawrence for the night, but it was still a good time.