Hot and humid: Of course Vero is far more humid than Chicago, but amazingly, Chi-town doesn't realize this. They believe that because of Lake Michigan, they endure ultimate pain in the "brutally humid summer." They are crazy. I have to use lotion constantly to keep myself from drying out. Seriously, they're crazy. Also, 80 degrees is burning up and unbearable. Hahahaha.

Rain: I'm not sure they know what it is. The slightest sprinkle means STAY INDOORS BY ALL MEANS AND IF YOU MUST LEAVE THE HOUSE HAVE LIKE FOUR UMBRELLAS WITH YOU. Dudes, get over it. Fr sriel.

Winter: OK duh Chicago winters are crazy. Yes, understood. But it's worth mentioning. In Florida? Fourty degrees in cold enough to skip school. In Chicago, it's time to break out the short sleeves. 

Creatures: This seems pretty silly, I know, but the tiny creature dynamic is weird, and really takes some getting used to. In Vero, it is simply understood that there there will be roaches in your house. You just deal with it, you know? Avoid as much as possible, but hey, it's going to happen. Also, and this one really gets me for some reason...lizards. Did you know there aren't any lizards up north? I never thought about it. There are lizards everywhere here. Everywhere. It's just, the way it is. I remember how much fun it was when I wa s little to catch them by their tails. This is not cruel, by the way, because their tails are completely detachable with no pain. Hence, it is just amusing, and you can start a lizard tail collection. I admit, I never did have a collection, but I sort of wish I did. And shit, Chicago has the only bug I've ever been afraid of - and I am seriously afraid of them - house centipedes. 

Plants: Grass. Seriously. Different grass and it takes getting used to. St. Augustine grass everywhere. I don't know what it is in Chicago, but it is way totally different. You'd never expect something like that to affect you in the slightest, but I swear it really does. You walk through the park and you go, "why aren't my feet covered with sticky green stuff?" Also, fucking palm trees. I fucking hate palm trees. I'd say one of my favorite aspects of Chicago is the damn lack of palm trees. They are so gross.

Driving: So, this is absolutely hilarious. Drivers in Chicago actually complain about the traffic. I mean, yes it's really busy and there are traffic jams, but people honestly think that other people are bad drivers. I don't think it's really possible to communicate to an outsider how very lucky they are when it comes to driving. However, a brief example: Earlier today I drove to my grandmamans house on 8th street. The car in front of me went into idle at Glendale. Ok, you, clearly you are a crazy person. They then proceeded to stay in front of me (max four mph) all the way to Glendale Lakes (a good quarter of a mile). As we approached the neighborhood, they decided it would be appropriate to treat driveways like stop signs. Ah yes. Brilliant plan. Then they go to turn (where I need to turn of course. They come to a dead stop, sit there for three cars to go past (which all started on the other side of the light, before daring to turn. So I think, well, it's a neighborhood with no lanes, you know? So I can easily pass the idiots. Alas, no. They drive (or rather, idle) RIGHT IN THE FUCKING MIDDLE OF THE STREET. Anyway, that's just today's experience. Something on par to that usually happens on a daily basis here.

Politics: Biggest difference obviously, except for maybe the weather. Vero, I'd say, is about 90% Republican, and at least 60% fundamentalist Christian. This, my friends, is ridiculous. I have a friend with the last name Islam, and my "completely middle of the road" government teacher actually had the nerve to ask her what religion she was. Also, because she was sort of surveying the class, I informed her that I was an atheist, completely secular. She corrected me, informing me that I actually agnostic, and that being pro-choice meant being pro-abortion. I informed her again that I was an atheist, and still, she never did accept this.

Not really people: In Vero, and I guess in most of Florida, it is just sort of assumed that you have a pool. Not everybody has one, of course. My dad has one but my mom doesn't. A lot of my friends don't have them. But if you don't, you often qualify it when describing your house. The concept of a pool in Chicago is absolutely insane. This is slightly disconcerting.

That's all I can think of at the moment. I know there are many many others, but I'll post them later if I think about it.

P.S. In Vero Beach, Obama is not my neighbor.