so this town is growing on me. i had a very madison day yesterday.
went to the famers market in the morning.



































saw the local baked goods































the local dairies





























(have you ever had cheese curds? they squeak when you eat them. also, a friend of mine said that she had always thought it was a rumor, a stereotype of wisconsiners that people in wisconsin loved cheese. but let me tell you, there were tons of cheese stands selling their wares this morning, and they were all packed with customers. and if there were free samples, forget it - you have to have some sharp elbows to get in on that action.)

flower vendors




























the canned goods


















saw the fresh veggies



































(this is actually the pile of sugar snap peas that i ate that morning, not the pile for sale.)

as i was taking this picture, this guy leaned over and said "you know, they taste better steamed". and then he and his friends laughed really loud. maybe he thought i was trying to use my camera to eat, instead of using it to take a picture.














am i naturally a tourist, even here, if im going out of my way to get a picture of things i dont see often, or things that strike me for whatever reason? it tells people that i am noticing the visuals, that i think they're remarkable enough to photograph, i suppose.















should everything be unremarkable, and photos only limited to what we find precious or exotic? is the farmers market exotic? i dont really think so, but who i am to say? i just thought some of the things i saw were nice. and i thought maybe you'd think so too.





















(see the people standing on the balcony? you can take tours of the capital building, and the tour ends with everyone going out onto the balcony and taking pictures of downtown madison stretched out before them. sometimes you can see their little flashbulbs going off. or whatever they call them now that everything is digital. flash leds?)

so i suppose thats good that i am feeling more at home here, more settled in - but i wonder if i will always look like someone who is sticking out, no matter where i go,whether its in this country, another country, my hometown, the town i go to school in, wherever. what does it mean to look like you belong? and who looks like they belong where?















(did i mention that as i learn more indonesian, i forget more of my english?)

and how do you behave if you REALLY live somewhere, does that mean you cant notice the little things that make up the everyday of where you are and that make it unique? and does to appreciate those things automatically make them exotic?
i wonder if i will ever really feel settled anywhere, as i hope every day i will notice the little things. and if that makes me stick out and look stupid, well, maybe i should give a shit.

however - i do feel like i am becoming more at one with madison, wi.



















even if i am doing it in front of a crowd of people trying to get on with their everyday lives. it still feels really good.