Moving far away usually means you're leaving the most important people in your life. At least that's what it meant for me. Moving to New Orleans meant leaving my family and friends I have grown up with. It's hard to leave those people behind especially when you've never known life without them.
I attended College just 45 minutes away from my parents and friends. I went home on random weekends to visit. I was never far away, so 1,000 miles of separation is HUGE.
When Jake left for bootcamp, we were not allowed to speak over the phone. We could write letters and that was it. Being part of a generation that relies heavily on social media has truly ruined me. Jake and I have been talking on the phone, texting, sending bbm's, e-mailing, Facebooking, and speaking face to face for the last several years. Writing letters was going to be so lame.
I no longer believe that last statement. I firmly believe that writing letters is a lost art. For eight weeks, Jake and I wrote letters. We wrote about how much we missed seeing each other, what was new in life, how bootcamp was...etc. It was so exciting to come home everyday and see if he had written me. I cried the first time he sent a letter. It was four pages filled with tons of information about his new life and everything he was experiencing. It was exciting.
Sending and receiving letters does something wonderful to the human spirit. It makes even the worst day seem amazing when you open the mailbox to find that someone loves you enough to take time out and write you a letter. Do it. It will keep you connected with family and friends in ways you never imagined.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Acceptance... The first step to recovery.
Accept your new home for what it is, not what you wish it was. When I first moved to New Orleans I tried so hard to compare it to Chicago. Doing that only led to disappointment. New Orleans is nothing like Chicago. The downtown area is extremely small, there's a trolley instead of subways, and it just smells different. I was heartbroken.
One day, while wandering around town with Jake, I started to see New Orleans for what it is. It's filled with little gourmet coffee shops, there's live music being played in the streets, people are out selling unique crafts in the French Quarter, and most importantly of course, there are a million and one places to buy a drink at any given time.
New Orleans was no Chicago, but then again... How could it be? Aside from the fact that it's 80 degrees in December down here, there are numerous differences that I have come to love. Accepting this new city for what it is has made this place feel like home instead of a semi-permanent vacation.
One day, while wandering around town with Jake, I started to see New Orleans for what it is. It's filled with little gourmet coffee shops, there's live music being played in the streets, people are out selling unique crafts in the French Quarter, and most importantly of course, there are a million and one places to buy a drink at any given time.
New Orleans was no Chicago, but then again... How could it be? Aside from the fact that it's 80 degrees in December down here, there are numerous differences that I have come to love. Accepting this new city for what it is has made this place feel like home instead of a semi-permanent vacation.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Packing Baggage.
Too many people misunderstand the term "A fresh start." It doesn't mean you get to start your life over completely and ditch the one you had. It means experiencing new things and trying to improve the quality of your existence. Moving is very different from running away.
Moving to New Orleans meant packing my emotional baggage along with my personal belongings. Since 2007, I lost a best friend to a drunk driving accident, a close aunt to breast cancer, and my mother was diagnosed with that same disease the day my aunt passed away. Shit happens, and it wasn't going to disappear just because I left Chicago.
It doesn't matter how far you move, you need to face the facts in every state and every country. If you don't, that "fresh start" you're trying to get will never happen. People assume that their current location is the reason for the problems in their life. That's crap. We are all in control of how we choose to cope with things and move on. Where you live, should not define you or make you believe that it's why your life sucks sometimes.
We all know that sunshine and warm weather is way better than rain and freezing temperatures. Duh. I don't doubt that people who live in warmer climates are generally happier. They don't endure rough winters that sometimes inflict seasonal depression, and they can spend a lot more time outdoors. I have experienced this warm weather bliss since moving to Louisiana. It's fantastic.
Still, it doesn't mean that I have suddenly forgotten about the things I have been trying to cope with. Accepting that they are still a part of my life has made moving on both mentally and physically easier. When you close your eyes and imagine living in a tropical climate, wearing shorts and flip-flops all year, and laying pool side in February, remember that every fantasy has to have to reality. Otherwise, our entire lives would never feel real.
Moving to New Orleans meant packing my emotional baggage along with my personal belongings. Since 2007, I lost a best friend to a drunk driving accident, a close aunt to breast cancer, and my mother was diagnosed with that same disease the day my aunt passed away. Shit happens, and it wasn't going to disappear just because I left Chicago.
It doesn't matter how far you move, you need to face the facts in every state and every country. If you don't, that "fresh start" you're trying to get will never happen. People assume that their current location is the reason for the problems in their life. That's crap. We are all in control of how we choose to cope with things and move on. Where you live, should not define you or make you believe that it's why your life sucks sometimes.
We all know that sunshine and warm weather is way better than rain and freezing temperatures. Duh. I don't doubt that people who live in warmer climates are generally happier. They don't endure rough winters that sometimes inflict seasonal depression, and they can spend a lot more time outdoors. I have experienced this warm weather bliss since moving to Louisiana. It's fantastic.
Still, it doesn't mean that I have suddenly forgotten about the things I have been trying to cope with. Accepting that they are still a part of my life has made moving on both mentally and physically easier. When you close your eyes and imagine living in a tropical climate, wearing shorts and flip-flops all year, and laying pool side in February, remember that every fantasy has to have to reality. Otherwise, our entire lives would never feel real.
A Move Is Born
Chicago was my city, and although I have always wanted to travel, the thought of leaving such a breath taking place to start a new life in the deep south wasn't a city girl's dream...
I worked in one of the most prestigious salons in Chicago. I came to work every morning, only after stopping at Starbucks for my skinny vanilla latte, in stilettos and a fitted dress. My hair styled and my make up flawless. I worked in an industry that was only skin deep, with some of the most talented people I have ever met. I loved my job, and I loved Chicago. There was nothing I didn't adore about the windy city. I mean, I didn't even mind the frigid winters that sometimes required me to shovel my car out just to leave my parking space.
About six months ago, my life endured numerous changes. I got engaged to my high school sweetheart, he enlisted in the Coast Guard, he left for boot camp, he came back, we got married and 5 days after that he left for his station in New Orleans. One month after all of that, I quit my job, packed up my entire life, left my very best friends and my family, who meant the world to me, and moved across the country to start my new life with him. Too bad life doesn't come with a seat belt.
Read that last paragraph out loud without taking a breath. That's what it feels like. There's so much happening, you have to remember to breathe. I love Jake. He's the most amazing man I have ever come to know. I would travel across the world to be with him. After all, you have your whole life to work, but only one life to be totally and completely in love with someone. It all sounds so whimsical, but there's a lot of reality to this fantasy that is being married and starting a new life.
A culture shock would be an understatement. New Orleans is something you cannot describe to someone who has never been. From boudain to Bourbon Street, it's a trip. My friends back home often wonder how it is down here in the south. I tell them to come visit.
I'll admit. I hated it when I first arrived late one night in July. I stepped outside from the airport to breathe in the thickest, most humid air I have ever been in. I was instantly miserable. "Is it always this hot down here," I asked my husband. He laughed and told me it was actually a lot cooler than it was earlier.
Damn. I wondered why I bothered packing a flat iron. I was being selfish and vein. I knew it. I was concerned about how hot it was and how crabby I'd be. Little did I know, 101 degrees was considered to be a "cool" day here in NOLA, and as the days went on, it would only get warmer. Fab.
I worked in one of the most prestigious salons in Chicago. I came to work every morning, only after stopping at Starbucks for my skinny vanilla latte, in stilettos and a fitted dress. My hair styled and my make up flawless. I worked in an industry that was only skin deep, with some of the most talented people I have ever met. I loved my job, and I loved Chicago. There was nothing I didn't adore about the windy city. I mean, I didn't even mind the frigid winters that sometimes required me to shovel my car out just to leave my parking space.
About six months ago, my life endured numerous changes. I got engaged to my high school sweetheart, he enlisted in the Coast Guard, he left for boot camp, he came back, we got married and 5 days after that he left for his station in New Orleans. One month after all of that, I quit my job, packed up my entire life, left my very best friends and my family, who meant the world to me, and moved across the country to start my new life with him. Too bad life doesn't come with a seat belt.
Read that last paragraph out loud without taking a breath. That's what it feels like. There's so much happening, you have to remember to breathe. I love Jake. He's the most amazing man I have ever come to know. I would travel across the world to be with him. After all, you have your whole life to work, but only one life to be totally and completely in love with someone. It all sounds so whimsical, but there's a lot of reality to this fantasy that is being married and starting a new life.
A culture shock would be an understatement. New Orleans is something you cannot describe to someone who has never been. From boudain to Bourbon Street, it's a trip. My friends back home often wonder how it is down here in the south. I tell them to come visit.
I'll admit. I hated it when I first arrived late one night in July. I stepped outside from the airport to breathe in the thickest, most humid air I have ever been in. I was instantly miserable. "Is it always this hot down here," I asked my husband. He laughed and told me it was actually a lot cooler than it was earlier.
Damn. I wondered why I bothered packing a flat iron. I was being selfish and vein. I knew it. I was concerned about how hot it was and how crabby I'd be. Little did I know, 101 degrees was considered to be a "cool" day here in NOLA, and as the days went on, it would only get warmer. Fab.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Venturing Out
At one point or another we all dream of a fresh start somewhere new. Some of us envision leaving the Windy City for the sandy beaches of California, while others tire of the constant heat and choose to move somewhere with a change in season.
The reason for wanting this change might be complex. Maybe a relationship has ended and it's time to move on both emotionally and geographically. Then again, sometimes a change is just needed to spice things up. As humans, we crave excitement and enjoy adventure.
While moving to a new place does sound like an adventure, it's no easy feat. It takes a lot of courage just like any other life changing event. Believe me when I say, that moving far from the place you have always considered "home" is one of the best decisions someone could make.
About six months ago I decided to move from Chicago to New Orleans, and the experience has been a roller coaster ride filled with profound life experiences and lessons...
The reason for wanting this change might be complex. Maybe a relationship has ended and it's time to move on both emotionally and geographically. Then again, sometimes a change is just needed to spice things up. As humans, we crave excitement and enjoy adventure.
While moving to a new place does sound like an adventure, it's no easy feat. It takes a lot of courage just like any other life changing event. Believe me when I say, that moving far from the place you have always considered "home" is one of the best decisions someone could make.
About six months ago I decided to move from Chicago to New Orleans, and the experience has been a roller coaster ride filled with profound life experiences and lessons...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)