Last year, I wrote an homage to my favorite season of the year-- my beloved fall.
When I found out that I was moving to Nashville I was more than a little bummed that I would be leaving the infamously beautiful Northeast for the fall season. I imagined the south to be lacking in any kind of fall weather, colors and everything of the like. I thought it would be 90 degrees until October and then just turn to 40 degrees.
How amazingly wrong I was! I've spent this autumn season in Tennessee and Georgia and it is just as beautiful as the Northeast... except there's a lot less rain. It's been absolutely perfect.
Eating lots of squash, wearing a jacket and sweaters and scarves, putting cinnamon in my coffee and taking photos of leaves. Fall, you'll always have my heart.
I officially moved in on Monday. After spending the weekend watching my sister graduate and having an awesome party with all of our family and friends, it was one of the hardest things I've ever done to get up Sunday morning and get in the car to move. I pulled out of my driveway with tears streaming down my face that lasted until Baltimore. I will miss beautiful Pennsylvania and home-y Chester County so much, but now that I'm here, a few days into what I think will be a great job and am starting to learn my way around, I can't help but feel that this change is natural and good.
The reason I moved here was for my job, so thankfully it's one that I think I'll really like. The people I work with seem great and I'm excited to get to learn how to do my job and do it well. I'm looking forward to the day when all of a sudden I realize "wait, I know how to do this..."
Nashville itself still remains a bit of a mystery to me. I've seen it a lot because of my lost adventures, that is -- trying to go to a coffee shop and taking the wrong road and going downtown; trying to find a target and taking the wrong road and going downtown; looking for the farmer's market and taking a wrong road and going downtown... and lastly, trying to find my office and taking a wrong road and going downtown.Like with my job, I'm looking forward to getting to the point where I can say "I know this."
Familiarity is something I didn't realize I took for granted. It's a hard thing when you don't know where you are.
It's also weird not knowing all the fun quirks and good spots around town. Both in Chester County and in State College, I knew where the best place to get coffee was, what hours I should avoid going to Irving's bagels and the best spot in town to get breakfast. My boss has mentioned lots of fun places to go, and all the while I keep thinking "ahhhhhhh! I want to know about all of this stuff!" There's lots of local dives I want to explore. I love you 'bucks and dunkin, but this whole 'chain' thing doesn't always fit my mood.
The good news? I'm here for a while baby. And I've got all the time I need to explore this place inside and out.
So far I can only get 3 places without directions 1. my office 2. starbucks 3. target. But really, where else would I ever need to go besides my beloved bucks and target
Tomorrow I'm checking out the Nashville Farmer's Market. I tried to do it Thursday afternoon and failed miserably. I thought I was almost there and I realized I was almost at my apartment -- they're about 20 minutes away from each other. At least I'm consistent.
I'll leave you with the top 5 things I've learned about relocating so far. And when you're done reading them, sit on your porch, watch the fireflys and enjoy the last fleeting days of June.
1. Virginia is a huge state.
You admire the beautiful rolling hills, pretty mountains, then 6 hours later you're cursing that your still driving through that freaking state
2. No reservations? That'll be an extra $75-100
It's sounds adventerous to not make reservations at a hotel and just drive till you can't then pull over and get a room, but as was learned in Knoxville, TN, that'll cost you top dollar for the room.
3. McDonald's really is the biggest chain ever
No explantion. One about every 2-4 exits for 800 miles.
4. In most states but PA, there is a carpool lane
And it's fun to stare judgingly at those driving in it by themselves
5. Southern Interstates are clean and smooth
No gaping potholes every mile and running over fast food bags is something my car is excited about
stop re-reading and rubbing your eyes, it's true! I can't believe it, I am so blessed beyond belief. I got a real grown-up job.
Oh and one other thing..
It's in Nashville, Tennessee!
I know that in my core I am so excited about this, but as soon as I accepted the job dozens of fears started creeping into my head. I'm fearful about being inadequate in my job, about not making friends, about getting lost every time I leave my apartment... oh and there's that whole 'moving to a new city in a different part of the country by myself' thing. The fears exist, but I know that this job is exactly where God wants me, and I can't wait to get started and make Nashville 'my city.' A city I can take pride in, a city where I call home.
My heart will always beat in Philly, and it's weird to think that I'm moving to a place where people could care less about the Phillies, don't regularly eat cheesesteaks, and don't get hyped up when the fresh prince says 'innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn west philadelphia, born and raised.'
But as I leave my western philadelphia suburb, I know that this will be good. I know that I can and will be happy there. I know that is a life-changing opportunity.
And one other thing.. I leave in 2 weeks.
In the next 2 weeks I have to 1. buy a car 2. move out of my penn state apartment 3. go to my roommates wedding 4. go to nashville and find a place to live 5. come back from nashville to pack up (see three posts ago... I JUST made my room look perfect and finished unpacking, go figure) 6. attend my sister's graduation 7. have our dual graduation party 8. go back to nashville 9. start a real-person job.
Yikes.
But, it'll get done. If I want this job, I'll get it done..... with extreme help from and dependence on my wonderful parents of course.
But for now, I'm at the beach for the long, beautiful memorial day weekend (eating all the seafood I can and staring at the ocean... nashville is an appalling distance from the coast) and enjoying this time with my family. We're relaxing and taking it slow until tuesday morning.
