If you were to search “Albemarle County” on google images, the results are full of scenic pictures of rolling hillsides and a lot of maps, which are pretty helpful to someone who doesn’t know their way around. If you were to look up “Humboldt County”, the results are similar in that there are plenty of pictures of tall redwood trees, and long, beautiful beaches. Then the results become littered with pictures of marijuana plants, greenhouses full of pot, and the growers that inhabit them. Now obviously that is pretty different compared to the apparently good-natured feel of Albemarle County. I have only been here for over a month, so it is hard to compare my new home to my old home, but I will try to give you all an insight on the world outside of Albemarle.

Humboldt County is tucked away between some mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Naturally, this makes for some of the best views I have ever seen in my life. Every evening, the sunsets are enough to take your breath away, especially on the beach. Another thing in abundance besides the beauty of nature is weed. So much weed. And what do you get when you have a lot of nature and a lot of weed? A lot of hippies. Naturally, the whole identity of Humboldt County, and California in general, is a more liberal and free identity.

Oh and by the way, the beaches and hikes you could go on were amazing. One of the biggest changes for me is walking down the street and not seeing people hoola-hooping, half naked, or smoking weed. The whole vibe of Humboldt County was really an open atmosphere, one that just made you feel welcomed and at home, wherever and whoever you were. Did I mention I loved the beaches? But in all seriousness, nothing beats getting out of school and being in the ocean in less than an hour, and Humboldt County was the perfect place for that.

Albemarle County, nestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountain, is a county whose main selling points are its rural, scenic landscape, agriculture, and its history. From what I have seen, school spirit in the college and high school is everywhere. On almost every car, I have seen a WAHS emblem or the unmistakable blue and orange Cavaliers bumper sticker. This is different for me, coming from an area where people weren’t too excited about their school. Sports is also very prominent here in Albemarle, and I’m coming to realize that WAHS is at the top of the food chain in the high school sports world.

I did notice, however, that WAHS is not as ethnically diverse as other schools. When I asked about the difference in population, Eliza Brodie explained, “The eastern and middle of Albemarle are way more diverse. Schools like Charlottesville, Monticello, and Albemarle High Schools definitely have more people with ethnic backgrounds.” The feeling I get from being in Albemarle, but Western specifically, is a more suburban atmosphere. My neighborhood is like something you would see in a TV show, with moms that go jogging every day, and dads that barbeque in the backyard. I’m almost expecting something crazy to happen, because it just feels too perfect to be true.

It seems like there is a lot of money in the economy here, which lends to a higher quality of living, which definitely is not a bad thing, just different than my old home. Now these observations could all be totally untrue, I have not been here long enough to make any type of educated guess. I am just giving my first impression to show the people of Albemarle how outsiders view the area. Everyone here has been pretty welcoming, and I am sure I will have no trouble fitting in, but, I just hope I don’t lose the Humboldt side of my life in the process.