My father would have told you that "home is where I hang my hat, and I don't wear a hat anymore".
Where am I from is a complicated answer. I was born in Michigan, north of Detroit out in middle of nowhere. I lived in Phoenix for a short time as a child. Then back to Michigan. I went to half of high school in Michigan, and half of it in Florida, changing schools 10 times in the last five years of my public school education. I lived in central Florida for almost two decades after high school. Moved to Lexington Kentucky, went to graduate school in Louisville, living in Kentucky 13 years. I have been in the Washington DC area nearly 14 years. See, that is complicated, and I left some of the details out. For most people it is a simple question. I have met people who lived and died within 100 mile radius. My life has stretched across thousands of miles.
I like to think that all of those moves when I was in school, prepared me for making home, wherever I am. It takes a little time to develop connections and a routine. To learn the local values and customs. To get over saying, "back home we do it differently." Nothing will make the locals hate you faster than telling them that things are better where you came from. When I was in high school in Florida the mother of a friend of mine simply said, there are northbound lanes on I-95, if it is better there, GO! She also said there are two kinds of Yankees, Yankees come here and spend money and we kind of like them, and damned Yankees, move here and try to tell us how to live and we hate them.
Am I done moving? Most likely. There are only a few places I think I would like to live, and despite being fully invested in an expensive housing market, a couple of them are out of our price range (San Francisco.) We have feathered the nest here. We are comfortable. We are Home.
Since I have been with my partner, for every move I have had to be pushed. I so like where we are now, I won't be pushed again. Yeah, there can be differences in different areas where you live and why not mention them, but it is rather tactless to suggest the old way of where you lived was better. If you can't talk about such things sensitively, keep your mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteI try to be happy were I am
DeleteI was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. but grew up in Sacramento, California. I went to college in San Francisco, and also lived on Maui for a spell; I moved to Miami when I met Carlos, and we moved to Camden for his work.
ReplyDeleteI could stay here, it's a nice town, the people are nice, and we have a good group of friends, OR I could move again if the right place popped up for us.
I think I am done moving, for a while at least
DeleteMy childhood wasn't as nomad as yours, but my adulthood has been. I still love the idea of moving.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be settled where you are
Delete10 schools in 5 years? Holy moly!
ReplyDeleteI knew more about changing schools, than the schools did
DeleteThat is quite a lot of moving around. I only had two major moves. I grew up in Illinois and moved to Arizona. However, I have changed houses in AZ several times. I would love to live in London but that is way out of my price range.
ReplyDeleteMaybe house swap with Duncan and Stephen some day
Deletewhat on earth is that yellow thing?
ReplyDeleteI lived in Midland for some years, and I really thought that I would live the rest of my life there. Funny how things change. I loved living in Alexandria VA and Gaithersburg MD. We hopped the subway into DC nearly every weekend. I don't know that I would like to live in DC but we were never at a loss for things to do.
ReplyDeleteI saw the funniest doormat: 'Home is where the WIFI connects automatically'