Mexican Food, new friends

Yes, in fact, there is an amazing Mexican restaurant in Miles City. It reminds me of El Azteca in the Fox Cities (Wisconsin) area. And, they have meatless options, that make it even better. Hurrah. Anyway, last night a VISTA from Sydney and the Texan came in and we had amazing dinner. Then, we made the usual Wal-Mart adventure, as we really are that lame, and there's not much else to do in Miles after, say 6 pm unless you feel like going to the cinema, which really isn't that exciting. It's a one-screen cinema, so it's kind of old school, and it often takes a while for movies to appear. I realized, though, that in slightly more than a week, I'll return to Wisconsin!! I'm quite afraid that I'm going to have the culture shock thing all over again, as I've finally begun to adapt to the middle of nowhere Eastern Montana culture. I've made friends, met some liberals, and gotten to know where things are and how things work. 30 mph seems incredibly fast when driving in town, and a 4 hour drive is beginning to seem like nothing. I've gotten used to seeing large dead animals in the back of pick-ups, and I've gotten used to cuddling with a dog that is nearly as large as I am. The word, 'bubbler' has seemingly been erased from my vocabulary, and been replaced with words like, "sack" or "pickup". (Apparently, there's a difference between "truck" and "pickup"...) My idea of mountains have changed, as has the notion of "small towns". I've also adapted to the idea that there are fewer high schools- we're lucky if there are three in a county as opposed to three in a city. I'm also adapting to "Miles City time" where things always run a bit longer, and people are always late. People here tend to be a bit more friendly, and seem to enjoy long(er) conversations, even if you're a newbie to the city/town. People here remember faces and the stories they bring, even if you've only met once or twice. It's kind of a neat feeling, but it'll catch you off guard at first. As it's not booming with new industry or loads of things to do, and therefore not the kind of place I want to be forever, it's really not a bad place to be for the time being. It's full of new experiences, cowboys, and so much wonder.