What is a “grit”? Why is it that when I asked this question for the first time, people looked at me like I was from a different planet? Well, if St. Louis, Mo., is out of this world, then I am one hell of an outsider. I thought people were being sarcastic when they said you needed a passport to come down to South Louisiana, but oddly enough, they were only trying to help me. I didn’t think that my life would have changed too much, but when everyone starts speaking and you can’t understand them, life gets a little confusing. I have had many conversations where I left not having any idea what the other person said.

Another thing that surprised me was the amount of fried items on a typical Southern menu. Of course fried chicken, but there is also fried okra (a new one for me), and what would inspire someone to make a chicken fried steak? I guess I won’t ever understand the inner thoughts of a Cajun/Creole culinary master, but I am trying to in the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute.

In the six months I have been in Louisiana, I have experienced weather I don’t even know how to explain to my family back home. Fog at night is weird to get used to, as is constant rain for over three days. I guess all I need to make my experience here complete is 100-degree heat, unbearable humidity and a hurricane!

Mardi Gras was an experience I will never forget. Maybe it’s because I have permanent welts from beads being pelted at me during Endymion. I still want to buy Mardi Gras beads when I go to Bourbon Street with my friends; is that bad?

For now I am working on my tolerance to cafeteria red beans and rice and nonstop rain. I figure if the cafeteria is going to be serving them every Monday, I might as well get used to them.