When you grow up in a small town, things can get "old and boring." Everything becomes familiar and you want something new and exciting so bad! That's how it was for me in those last few years. I felt so stuck. Now here I am in Florida and I realize everything I had to miss. I miss a cool mountain breeze warning me that summer is almost gone and soon the chill and colors of fall will set in. I miss the smell of a fire burning and people around it laughing and having a good time. I miss hometown Mom and Pop stores. I miss spaghetti at Muriales and ice cream at Dairy Creme Corner and bad karaoke at Mom's and white chocolate cheesecake from Poky Dot. I miss familiar faces. I miss Mountaineer and Steelers Football. I miss Morgantown and all the festivals around those areas. I miss the Renn Faire in PA. And something I thought I would never say, though for me there is nothing like a palm tree against a bright blue sky swaying in the ocean breeze, I really do miss those mountains.
Being this far away from all your family and friends is really hard. It's like you really starting out on this journey of life on your own because there is no one to turn too. I honestly didn't think the distance would bother me, but it has. There's so much I wish I could share with people and I can't. I guess it's just a truth to big moves: it's going to be hard. It's not that easy to leave all that you knew behind. So many things are going on up there now or will soon that I loved and wanted to be a part of and I can't and I'm so sad about it. It just feels like I'll never feel this way about Florida. I'll never be a Floridian. I know that for sure now. No matter where I go, I'll always be a West Virginian. I have learned since I have moved down here that, starting with that old saying, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I really hoped to meet people when I moved. I felt like I couldn't do that before and I was hoping that would change. Well here's a truth we have learned about Florida: the people here suck. Now the people on vacation are pretty nice. The Floridians, well if you can even communicate with them good luck finding much else in common besides a language. Everyone speaks Spanish. you go shopping and the cashier can't communicate with you because they can barely speak to you so God help you if you have a question. We were at a store once where the worker (which by the way, down here is some of the worst costumer service you will ever experience) had Daniel run back to get her the product number on an item. Not the price, a freaking product number and she wasn't going to be doing any moving to do anything! That would actually be work! People down here are more outspoken, but once you deal with enough lazy workers you can't talk to you understand why! Daniel ran into someone at a gas station the other day who was down here from New Jersey and they were having car trouble and no one would help them. We didn't have money but Daniel gave him some advice to help him out and the man said "Thank you! You are the first nice person we've meet down here!" Daniel responded with "We're from West Virginia."
Another thing about being down here is everything is more expensive. Not by a lot, but even a little more adds up. I feel like we can't go out and do anything because EVERYTHING costs so much money! A sit down meal will run you at least $30. And fast food is $20. You like to go out to clubs? Drink are $9 each. And that's the cheapest unless they are having a deal that night (and no they are no bigger or better than something you'd get in a club in Mo-town). I have taken to thrift store shopping and eating in more than ever because it's just to expensive to do anything else! There is so much to do down here and I can't afford any of it because I'm too busy trying to make sure we have the basics!
There are pluses to living down here too. I do love being near water and having that warm summer breeze is so nice. The weather has actually helped with both Daniel and my physical pain. I do have more opportunities to join and be a part of things down here (though finding out about it and where it is is a blast). I like being near things instead of having to go 30 minutes to get to a mall.
It's just a whole other world down here. I'm just a small town girl and all this is so big! And I thought I always wanted that but now I'm not so sure. It could just be all the home sickness talking. Maybe when it goes away and I'm settled into a job, maybe then I'll see things different. But right now everything just seems so huge and unmanageable, I just wish there was something familiar around to make me feel better.
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