Montana!

Montana is epic. The first two pictures are from the drive into Chinook from Billings. There really isn't much between the two places as you can see by the pictures but it is also a really nifty drive because you really get to see almost every type of geography the state has to offer.

I am loving every minute of life but I've already learned a few things that I'm not sure I ever expected. I guess that's the thing about learning new things, sometimes it just happens and there is no preparation. I think a lot of times in life I've set out to learn something specific or at the very least acknowledging I have very little knowledge about some aspect of life. I think this is the first time I've truly been surprised about what I have been learning. I came into this year knowing I had a lot to learn about the physical area (flora, fauna, geographic stuff etc) but I honestly didn't think that there would be a difference in the way we define city.

When I was flying into Billings on the plane, they made the announcement that we were approaching the city and we would be landing in a few minutes. Looking out the window, I see nothing but beautiful landscape so I'm thinking, "No, we can't be approaching a city, there are no houses, no suburbs surrounding the city." So we land and there's no announcement about what terminal baggage is in, I'm thinking "hmm, that's odd" well as it turns out there is only one, hence no announcement.

I am from the city. This is a statement that of course I disagreed with the first time I heard it. City? Me? No, silly, I'm from the suburbs. New York, that's a city, Philly, also a city, Newark and Camden, sure. Toms River, not a city. Then it hits me. Billings is the largest town in Montana, as in the ENTIRE STATE, and it is roughly the size of Toms River. Relatively speaking I suppose I see why it would be called a city so relatively speaking, I am now from the city.

 This city girl is excited to be spending her year in Chinook. I crossed a "highway" to get to this sign. AKA, I walked across a two lane street with absolutely no cars or trucks on it or in sight at the time.

I'm the Chinook water tower and I'm super cute!

Look, I have horses who live down the street!

The view looking down the street at the end of town