A Few Things We Have Learned While Living in New England

Of Transportation

1. Rotaries are very popular here and a part of the road system no matter if you are driving on the interstate or a county road. It is most unusual.

2. While most interstate entrance ramps have yield signs, a small handful have stop signs. If you are not careful, you will run one…or five.

3. The entrance ramps, especially in the South Hamilton area, have signs that tell the public what is not allowed on the interstate: pedestrians, bicycles, and horses(!).

4. While the traffic into the city of Boston is not always horrible, finding a place to park is the worst and near impossible. At times, we would spend almost an hour trying to find a spot, before deciding to just go home. With that being said, we have found that the public transportation is reasonably priced, clean, and convenient. We currently prefer that method when traveling into the city.

5. It is not uncommon, in our area, to see horses and riders on the roads. We were most surprised, however, to see horses and riders in town!


Of All Things Financial

1. Surprisingly, the cost of food at a grocery is not much higher than it was in Missouri. Massachusetts does not have sales tax on food products, so that helps significantly.

2. Even gas prices here are not overly priced compared to those in Northeastern Missouri and Illinois.

3. Yes, the cost of living is higher, but so is the average hourly rate. We are currently working fewer hours a week and making more money than we were in Missouri due to the better pay rate.

4. Fast food restaurants are few and far between up here on the North Shore. Therefore, eating out does cost a bit more, especially if you go the route of seafood.

5. Also, regarding food, Dunkin Donuts has Starbucks beat in regard to popularity and convenience. A person can find at least one Dunkin Donuts in every town, while most towns have three or more.


Of People

1. At Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, we are in a bubble. So far, everyone Jared and I have contact with is, in some form, a Christian. We work for Christian institutions, live in a Christian environment, and have Christian friends. We are thankful for this community and for the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please pray that we will have more interactions with people to whom we can show Christ.

2. We have noticed that the typical stereotype of rude New Englanders is false. Yes, rude people are here. BUT, rude people are everywhere. It is not just limited to this area. We have encountered it everywhere we have been.

3. In continuation of the above statement, people here are very personal and private (which could easily be translated into rudeness).

4. According to several studies, the Boston Metro Area is one of the top ten most educated cities in the United States. The focus of people here is very different from that of the Midwest.

5. People are generally healthier here. With the lack of fast food restaurants and the availability of healthy food options (that are not outrageously priced), the general public seems more health conscious. It is catching!