Tuesday, June 13, 2006
I went to California this weekend to look for my new place. I am still stunned by the civility Northern Californians demonstrate. People actually smile at you. It's the weirdest thing. In Philly, people barely make eye contact. And I still can't get over how pedestrians rule on the Left Coast. I was in a parking lot, when a car started to back up. I stopped (because in Philly - the car will keep going, hit you, and then the driver will cuss YOU out for bumping into his/her car) and waited. The driver waived me by. I walked on, and the driver rolled down her window and apologized profusely. To me. For almost backing up. Weird place that California.
I found my place, so my anxiety over my move across the country is MUCH alleviated. I'm living in the suburbs. Yes, I know that means I'm not cool. Yes, I know that means I'm not hip. But guess what? I don't care. I'm a suburban girl. I was raised in rural and suburban communities. I don't really like living in the city. I don't like the dirt. I don't like the grime. I don't like the crime. And I REALLY don't like the lack of parking. I mean in what truly civilized place does one have to pay for parking when shopping? But I love the town I will be living in. I will be surrounded by green and trees, and shopping. Oh the shopping - WITH proper parking lots. I'll be in suburban heaven.
So I'll be commuting by BART. I like commuting via train. It's SO much better than driving. And after spending a week in Bay Area traffic - I think I'll skip driving (even with the super polite drivers).
Life in Philly is pretty mellow. I just bought some boxes to start packing my stuff. I'm really not looking forward to that. I hate packing. Plus it's weird this time. I feel like I'm packing up a chapter of my life. After undergrad, I moved to Philly. And so now almost a decade later, to move across the country, feels like I've just finished a good book. I'm always sad to finish a book that I'm really in to. It's like saying goodbye to a really good friend. Sure, you can re-read the book, but it's not the same. Leaving Philly is kind of like that. Although my life here was not always happy, and although I'm really READY to leave, I'm still a little sad. Or maybe I'm just a little scared. Philly is like a stinky security blanket. Even though I know it's time to put it away, it's still hard to let it go.
I found my place, so my anxiety over my move across the country is MUCH alleviated. I'm living in the suburbs. Yes, I know that means I'm not cool. Yes, I know that means I'm not hip. But guess what? I don't care. I'm a suburban girl. I was raised in rural and suburban communities. I don't really like living in the city. I don't like the dirt. I don't like the grime. I don't like the crime. And I REALLY don't like the lack of parking. I mean in what truly civilized place does one have to pay for parking when shopping? But I love the town I will be living in. I will be surrounded by green and trees, and shopping. Oh the shopping - WITH proper parking lots. I'll be in suburban heaven.
So I'll be commuting by BART. I like commuting via train. It's SO much better than driving. And after spending a week in Bay Area traffic - I think I'll skip driving (even with the super polite drivers).
Life in Philly is pretty mellow. I just bought some boxes to start packing my stuff. I'm really not looking forward to that. I hate packing. Plus it's weird this time. I feel like I'm packing up a chapter of my life. After undergrad, I moved to Philly. And so now almost a decade later, to move across the country, feels like I've just finished a good book. I'm always sad to finish a book that I'm really in to. It's like saying goodbye to a really good friend. Sure, you can re-read the book, but it's not the same. Leaving Philly is kind of like that. Although my life here was not always happy, and although I'm really READY to leave, I'm still a little sad. Or maybe I'm just a little scared. Philly is like a stinky security blanket. Even though I know it's time to put it away, it's still hard to let it go.
