When updating my blog, I stumbled upon this beautiful post I created during my first month in Seattle. As someone who has lived here for three years now and has no desire to ever leave, I thought it would be a great idea to share this list in honor of how much I love this place!

(Written September 2020)

Hello, lovely people! For those of you that don’t know me personally, I moved recently! And, if the title of this post wasn’t a dead give away, I moved to Seattle, WA all the way from the east coast. It was quite the time and I have learned so much about both myself and west coast living. And, needless to say, I love it here. However, there was much that I didn’t know when I started this trek back at the end of August. I have compiled a list:

1. It doesn’t rain here, it just mists. Whoever told you that Seattle is the rainiest city in the US was… partly wrong. In fact, while it is raining here more often than not, that rain is more like a light misting that, when compiled together, doesn’t get anywhere close to places like New York in terms of cumulated inches.
2. Seattle is a dog city. Seriously. Almost everyone has a dog.
3. Parallel parking is basically all you have, even in residential areas. Sometimes you luck out and get actual parking spots but those either cost money or are new major shopping areas, especially when you are near the central city.
4. There are parks everywhere. Like, you think I’m kidding. If you are anywhere in Seattle, I bet you can reach at least one park on foot and at least five by driving within 15 minutes of where you are. And, many of these parks have beautiful trails through hills or along beaches. If you are looking for the best time to explore these parks, might I suggest evening, right after the sun sets, with a friend? The beach at night is a different kind of spectacular.
5. There are hills everywhere. Expect a minor to major hike even when you are walking down the street. I mean, makes sense given that Seattle is basically in the mountains, but good to know.
6. There is this thing called the Seattle Freeze. It basically means that you might find yourself feeling left out of groups or not able to find others easily because everyone always says, “let’s hang out” and then no actual plans are made. A wonderful way to combat this is to join a group of people that have similar interests to you. These are everywhere. I joined a group for NaNoWriMo and I must say those people have been a god-send in helping ease my transition here.
7. Traffic. It’s a thing. Granted, with the pandemic, it’s not too horrible, but I’ve heard that sometimes it can take someone an hour to go a couple miles.
8. People don’t use umbrellas. People don’t really dress up. Sweatshirts and jeans all the way. If you want to stick out as a tourist, bring an umbrella and wear a nice outfit one day. Oh, and struggle with parallel parking.
9. Drivers, relatively, are nice here. They will wave people on or if you get to a street narrowed by good ole parallel parking, they will pull over to let you through. Wave or nod gratitude when you pass them.
10. Blackberries grow everywhere. Delicious food randomly dispersed throughout the city, but be aware that the berries you are eating might have recently been sprayed with pesticide.
11. Rent is expensive. I mean, it’s a city after all and almost anywhere has a nice view of the mountains or water nearby, but something to be aware of. Most places require you to have an income 2.5 times your rent amount.