When I was 13 years old, I lived in the small town of Westboro, MA. One day, I went to school and announced to everyone that my family had decided to move to Manhattan for my career.
That evening, my mother was bombarded with phone calls from all the gossips that live in small town America saying, "Joanne, you're moving to New York??" My mother’s eyes darted across the room at me, knowing full well that this rumor had started with her precocious little teenager who came out of the womb singing "I want to be a part of it."
“Honey, why would you tell people that?” my mother asked me.
“Because. " I replied, "I want it to be true…”
9 years later, I graduated from college and set out for the City That Never Sleeps. Armed with my “Streetwise NYC”, I began to wander the streets of Manhattan. Day in, day out, I explored every nook and cranny, every little café, every wine bar, every beautiful brownstone on every beautiful street. I wanted to know everything there was to know about NYC. I was finally home. And I was never leaving.
So I thought.
3 and a half years later I met a very charming, adorable boy who lived in Los Angeles. You’ll notice that I didn’t say “from Los Angeles” – and that’s because he, too, was from New York (and in my world, there’s a BIG difference). A year and a half after that, we began dating long distance, and in July 2004, after much deliberation (and completely convinced that we would eventually get married and move back to NY) I decided to move to the other coast.
It’s now September 2007 and I’m still a New Yorker through and through. But I still live in LA. When I moved here, I was certain that I would eventually adjust to the extremely different lifestyle. I was convinced that, with time, I would adapt to the endless sunshine, the driving, the plastic surgery, the bizzzzzzzzzness. Three years and several dents on a car I wish I didn’t have to drive later, I still continue to long for home.
But I’m in LA and I’m determined to make the most of my time here. Since my arrival three years ago, I’ve searched high and low for the places that make me feel most at home as well as the things that make me actually like Los Angeles. I’ve met hundreds of New Yorkers just like me who have talked about getting a support group together. I’ve had days where I want to hop on the next plane to Manhattan and days where I actually fall a little more in like with LA. And I’ll share it all with you here. I hope that my accounts and tales and thoughts will help other transplants (New York or otherwise) adjust a little more easily and at the very least, let you know that you aren’t alone.
And PS - We are married. That part came true.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle
at
6:09 PM
Labels:
moving to LA,
past
