Gainesville is just plain WEIRD to me.

So, today I got a ride to school from my good ol' pal Horacio, who came up here for the game (which I *did* attend... damn it feels good to be a Gator). Anyway, I don't have a car, but I live a little less than 2 miles away from campus. Last year, in DC, I used to walk 3.5 miles to and from school (uphill, both ways, in the snow). It was great because it let me get a bit of exercise, some nice quiet alone time, and the chance to be outdoors after hours of being cooped up in horrendous classrooms.

After printing a google map, just in case I needed it, I started what I thought would be a regular walk home. Campus was strangely quiet and desolate, and as I approached the normally full commuter lot, I kind of felt a little scared. There was only one car in the parking lot. Campus security. As I walked through the lot, I heard the driver of the car turn on the ignition and start driving. Three seconds later the car was next to me and I heard a woman's voice: "do you need a ride to your car?" When I explained that I was just walking home, and that home was a good 2 miles away, she damn near slapped me upside the head. She called for a police officer to come drive me home, and had me sit in her car with her. I felt like a 5 year old who had just stuck a bobby pin in an electric socket and was being scolded by the proper adult authorities.

Sidenote: I actually did stick a bobby pin in an electric socket when I was younger. I got a nice big jolt, and I vaguely remember that my mom went all kinds of crazy on me.

Moving right along, this woman let me know that I should NEVER EVER walk alone at night. Sounds like common sense, I suppose. But again, I used to walk in DC, one of the biggest cities with the most crime. I used to walk home at 10 pm, without a care in the world. It wasn't even totally dark out tonight.

Back to her lecture: "There are crazy people out there, you never know. Not to mention alligators. You are new around here, you're not used to the alligators. If one of those things gets near you, you're gonna panic, not know what to do. You might run into traffic. There are snakes around here too. And very little lighting. And also, think about the fact that there are lots of heavily medicated people walkin' around comin' out of the hospital."

She straight up scared the shit out of me. I don't even want to walk around Gainesville in broad daylight anymore.

So the cop showed up, and he was less than pleased. I thanked the maternally inclined security guard, and almost wanted to hug her. She cared, and it showed. The transition from sweet lady to pissed cop was an awkward one. He had to clear out all the stuff from the front seat, while I just stood there wondering if I should sit in the back. That would've been cool. I would've been like "damn it feels good to be a gangsta". But I didn't want him to think I was used to sitting in the back of a cop car or something weird like that. So I got in the front. He asked me "what happened" and I explained the situation. He kind of just nodded. I wanted to break the silence, and even contemplated making a joke, like "I hope this is the ONLY time I'm ever riding in a cop car" but I was so embarrassed that I didn't dare speak (me, quiet?!?! hard to imagine, I know). He made some small talk and I got home, safe and sound, without a gator bite in sight.

I was pretty annoyed at the situation, because I really like walking, and it's too hot to do it before dark. I'm annoyed because Gainesville had given me a false sense of safety. I mean, coming from Miami and having lived in DC, how could I be afraid of lil' old G-ville? Damn this town, and its lack of public transportation and adequate lighting.

The only good thing that came out of this is that I met my security guard savior. She showed that she really cared and that UF is all about taking care of its students. I would never *ever* expect half of that from the University of Miami or Georgetown, ever.

So hooray for UF, hooray for kindness.

This place is going to take some getting used to. And by some, I mean a lot.

Weird place, this Gainesville. It's only been 3 weeks, perhaps I'll grow to love it eventually.

Oh yeah, and med school sucks.