Friday, October 03, 2014

It is a simple question

It is a simple question, where are you from?  My answer is complicated.  I have lived in five states and at the moment, don't feel a strong connection to any of them.  I have been reading a book by a college student from Kansas who was awarded a scholarship to study in France for a year, and spent the year homesick for Kansas.  Where would I feel homesick for?  I was born in Michigan.  Before the first grade I had visited Florida and Arizona.  I went to half of the first grade on Phoenix.  My parents were farmers in a seasonal farming operation in Michigan and my father was trying to escape the cold Michigan winters.  Phoenix didn't work well and we didn't do that again until I was in the 8th grade.  That is when my snowbird years began,  I would start school in Michigan in September, in late October early November we would go to Florida, I would go to school in Florida, in late March we would go back to Michigan.  I did that the rest of the way through high school.  I left Michigan the fall after finishing High School and moved to Florida.  For a couple of years I ran around saying, "back home we did it a different way."  After a while people convinced me that they really don't care how you do it back home.  I thought I would stay in Florida forever.  I grew frustrated with the work I was doing and I fell in love.  When sweetie bear was offered the job in Kentucky, I readily agreed to move.  It was a fresh break and a chance to go back to school.  I lived in Kentucky for 13 years.  I adjusted well, but responded to where are you from, with, I live here but I am not from around here. Almost six years ago, I moved to northern Virginia, for the job in DC.  I rented for a while, I have owned the condo for almost five years and it still does not register as home.  So where am I from?  No place that I feel homesick for.

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous10/03/2014

    Interesting post. I have to wonder if our conversation had anything to do with this! I think I made a post like this a long time ago. I get you.

    Not interesting...GREAT POST!

    Peace <3
    Jay

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  2. I can relate to your experience, I moved some 40 times in 58 years. Went to so many schools in different cities and then my work took me around the world. When I retired I came back to the Capital Ottawa but is it home, no not really. Though I was born in Montreal and my family is from that city, I have not lived there in 40 years. I really never know what to answer to the question where are you from.

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  3. I am philadelphia born and bred and damn proud of it. period.

    even when I lived in the DC burbs from 79-99, philadelphia was ALWAYS home.

    and while I do like to get away and see other places, I will forever call philadelphia HOME.

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  4. David,
    Interesting subject for a post of my own. I lived in Pennsylvania all my life and thought I would miss it when I moved to the nearby sate of Delaware. I don't miss Pennsylvania at all. I love Delaware. I may have one more move in me, probably California. We'll see. One thing for sure, I will never again live in a state that has laws that legalize discrimination against gays.
    Ron

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  5. Yes nicely written
    From a Welshman.....who has lived in Yorkshire most of his life... Now back in wales

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  6. When asked I always think of where I grew up as where I am from.
    It's tough as a kid to be moved around so much and disturbs that notion of "where you are from".

    While I didn't move as often as you did, there were 5 moves for me and my family up to when I turned 14. The good thing is these moves were within a small geographical area, within one metropolitan area of VA. Better yet, I attended a private school so moving didn't disrupt where I went to school at least. Not that I like my school but it was a constant in my life. ;-)

    I consider the Hampton Roads area of VA where I am from.
    I have lived also in Baltimore and since marrying in Northern NJ and now in 2 different locations in Northeastern PA....PA for a total of 28 years now but I plan to move once Hubs retires.

    I guess now I should say I am from PA since I have lived here longer than any other place. lol

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  7. I think this state of being must be both liberating and sad at times as well.
    My family has lived in the same place for seven generations; my parents have lived in the same house for 4o years. "home' is quite solid for me.

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  8. Anonymous10/04/2014

    Born and raised in Cape May N.J.
    That is home. Need to be near the water

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