Happy to Be Here. A Transplant Takes Root in Farmville, Virginia 12+

🔖 What happens when someone from a northern city's suburbs packs up and moves to the rural south? For Karen Bellenir, the transition involved finding her place in the life of a small town, making connections, growing new roots, and learning about the culture and the environment. It didn't always go smoothly, especially at dinner. Bellenir firmly resolves, "I will not eat pig feet. I've been informed that these are called trotters and that they are especially fine when pickled. I'm sorry, but I agree with another transplant to the area who commented: I know where they've been." Sometimes reality forced her to reconsider cherished notions. "I used to think mice were cute," she says. "My mental image focused on furry little bodies, oversized ears, and earnest eyes. Small and fluffy. Tiny pink toes and little pink noses." In other words, the stuff of greeting cards. Rural experience revealed mice to be costly eating machines that even chewed on expensive car parts. At other times, Bellenir found herself awed by the region's natural beauty, moved by the town's earnest efforts to overcome mistakes of the past, and inspired by the people who welcomed her with open arms and open hearts. Upon moving to Farmville, Bellenir began writing "Happy to Be Here," a monthly newspaper column for The Farmville Herald. Every month she reported on her progress of getting acclimated, meeting new people, and making discoveries. This book pres...