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I like this thread a lot. In my younger years I did just that, load the car, fill up the tank and go. If there was no car there was Greyhound but there was always a "way." I must be honest, I wouldn't advise anyone to go to another state/city on the spurt. You may find that once you arrive that your new city is not much different than where you came from. In my years of travel I have found most people to be the same. The only thing that changes is the setting and scenery.
It's best to have at least $2k and a friend or someone you can stay with until you learn the city and get grounded. Some cities are not to kind to transplants, they see you as a threat, which mainly has to do with fear of the unknown. Still, I feel you should check out life outside your small town sometime. If anything, you'll gain a new understanding and a bit of self-discovery.
It's best to have at least $2k and a friend or someone you can stay with until you learn the city and get grounded. Some cities are not to kind to transplants, they see you as a threat, which mainly has to do with fear of the unknown. Still, I feel you should check out life outside your small town sometime. If anything, you'll gain a new understanding and a bit of self-discovery.
Absolutely, positively agree! Especially about the money part.
My family has very deep roots in California, having settled there in the early 1900's. So growing up, California was pretty much all I knew. I never thought that I would ever leave. But 10 months ago I decided it was time to try something new. I told my family what I had planned, packed up my stuff and moved to Arizona.
Everyone told me that I would miss California and all it has to offer. Well I'm still waiting to miss it. Moving away was the best thing I could do. Being in one place for too long or all your life even just makes you stale. I'm sorry I didn't do this when I was a little younger, but hey, like they say, it's never too late.
My family has very deep roots in California, having settled there in the early 1900's. So growing up, California was pretty much all I knew. I never thought that I would ever leave. But 10 months ago I decided it was time to try something new. I told my family what I had planned, packed up my stuff and moved to Arizona.
Everyone told me that I would miss California and all it has to offer. Well I'm still waiting to miss it. Moving away was the best thing I could do. Being in one place for too long or all your life even just makes you stale. I'm sorry I didn't do this when I was a little younger, but hey, like they say, it's never too late.
GoodbyeCalifornia: If you don't mind my asking, how old were you when you moved? The reason I ask is that I am considering the same thing, although it is from a city in Upstate NY -- an area I've lived in my whole life. Part of me really wants to move to experience something else, and I would be able to get a job in certain areas because of my field of work. Yet part of me is very fearful -- not so much of the move, but of leaving my friends and family and a whole lifetime of personal connections. I really related to your post because you described that you can get "stale" staying in one place your whole life, and that is exactly how I have been feeling for a few years and what is probably really driving my desire to move. I am in my late 40s which really makes this hard, but on the other hand, "it's never too late" as you said. (BYW -- I have a husband willing to move whereever, and no kids.)
Thank you for your comments. I was 41, almost ready to turn 42 when I made my move. And it wasn't a decision that I made lightly. The one advantage I had was that I'm no longer married, have no children, so that part was easy. The not so easy part is that my parents are still very much alive, my brother, my nephews, the rest of my extended family and my friends all still live in California, mostly in the same city we all grew up in. So that was hard to leave behind.
But after two years of thinking about it, doing research, and checking into possible spots to relocate to, I found a place that I felt would give me all that I was looking for at this stage of my life and made the leap. And it has been a wonderful experience thus far. I've learned much about myself. I realized that all those things that I really thought I needed, well I don't really need them after all. I'm a happier and more energized person. Yes, I miss not having my family and friends close by. But they come to visit me, and I visit them. And I've made many great new friends.
Breezy, I completely understand being fearful. And unfortunately, that is an offshoot of getting older like we are. We get used to the familiar, it makes us feel secure, makes us hesitate to explore new things. And for a very long time, I let that kind of fear hold me back from doing many things. But one day, I said to myself, no more, there is more to life than what I am living now and have lived up to this point.
Please understand, I'm not trying to say that just because I did it, you should do it. I'm not saying that because it worked for me, it will work for you. Only you know what it is you want, and what will work best for you and your husband.
My best advice to you, if you choose to do what I did, just be smart about it. Take your time, do your research, and make sure that where you're going to offers you the best of what it is you seek. Hopefully, it will work out the way you want it to. But even if it doesn't, that's actually okay too. At least you tried. And that I think is really what is important.
Will I stay where I'm at forever? I don't know. If I do decide to move on one day, at least I can look back and say that I did it, be proud of myself for doing it, and not spend the rest of my life regretting that I didn't try it.
GoodbyeCalifornia: Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Your comments give me something more to think about. Right now, I have potentially two options for employment -- one in Boston, and one in Raleigh. (Although I've only been contacted be recruiters for positions in these cities ... still would have to go on interview, so the job may not be right for me, or they may not even offer me the position -- still in very early stages of explorying.) Both cities have pros and cons, and are very different. Ideally, Boston is the place I'd rather be. But coming from Upstate NY and one of lowest priced real estate markets in the country and moving to one of the priciest (Boston), may not be possible financially without great sacrifice to our standard of living -- but I'm still going to explore.
Personally, I LOVE California and all it has to offer EXCEPT the HIGH RENT, which has unfortunately displaced many people. Anyone who wishes to relocate needs to make sure that it's done for all the right reasons. In other words: Don't leave your state because you hate your boss....lol Yes, many people have done that. It takes a lot of time, hard work and sacrifice to learn a new city. Know what you want before you make the big move.....
My family has very deep roots in California, having settled there in the early 1900's. So growing up, California was pretty much all I knew. I never thought that I would ever leave. But 10 months ago I decided it was time to try something new. I told my family what I had planned, packed up my stuff and moved to Arizona.
Everyone told me that I would miss California and all it has to offer. Well I'm still waiting to miss it. Moving away was the best thing I could do. Being in one place for too long or all your life even just makes you stale. I'm sorry I didn't do this when I was a little younger, but hey, like they say, it's never too late.
Goodbye,
Where in AZ did you move to? I was reading about Flagstaff. It looks like a cool place.
Artie
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