Things to know when living in Grand Rapids, MI

Things are going well here. I have completed a week of orientation training including Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support so i now officially know how to save lives, lol. I can (supposedly) now place a central line in your major arteries, put a chest tube through your.. you guessed it, your chest, and stick a tube down your trachea to make you breath, among other amazing life saving feats. Very exciting, lets just hope i don't forget everything when/if the moment ever comes.

In the last few weeks i have learned several things about living in Grand Rapids, some good, some bad, but if you are going to move here or even just visit, these are things you should know....

1) People here are incredibly friendly. Not just kind or polite, overwhelmingly nice
2) at anytime day or night, you may hear fireworks (which sound like gun shots). this occurs on a daily basis
3) sometimes people forget to wear pants... true story. I and other residents have seen women who somehow forgot to put on pants or a skirt or something before leaving the house, just panties
4) there are no grocery stores here. there is walmart and meijer (which is exactly like walmart)
thank god for the Farmer's Market
5) there is no beer at the gas stations
6) it rains ALL THE TIME
7) the cuisine here is fantastic, so many options and they are all good
8) It stays light in the summer until 10pm, not dusky, seriously daytime light. i walk the dog at
9pm
9) There are squirrels everywhere, and they are bold and like to taunt the dog
10) it really is a great place to live