I remember being in the second or third grade when our class was talking about living in the United States. I remember telling my teacher that I even though I was a U S citizen, I considered myself more of a Georgian. I stated that I loved living in the state and never wanted to move. And, I didn’t for several years.
Of course, over the years, I thought about moving to a beach somewhere, prefereably Hawaii. But, my family was here, my friends were here, and my job was here so I never seriously considered it. Until 2009.
In 2008, I purchased a home in Hiram, GA. In 2009, I discovered that my job was going to be moving me to Boston, MA if I wanted to go. After much prayer and talking to family members and friends, I decided I did want to move. Almost one year to the day of closing on my Georgia residence, I headed 1,100 miles north to my new apartment in Haverhill, MA. I spent the next two years there and I enjoyed every day of it.
I only stayed there for two years, but I learned so much about myself in that short time. I am a strong, independant woman who can take care of herself. I never thought I would find myself living by myself in a place so far from my family, basically starting over with no support system. It was the first time in my life that I experienced all four seasons. I even learned how to drive in the snow.
I learned that five degrees can be survived. I learned that snow can be fluffy and make good snowmen. I learned that even snow drifts that are over six feet high can disappear over night.
But, it was the people that I learned the most about. We could not always understand each other. They had trouble with my extended pronunciation and I missed hearing “r’s.” Us Southerners had to the clients in Tennessee. The Northerners had trouble comprehending the fact that we don’t have snow plows and salt trucks and shut down the cities with two inches of snow. But, I discovered that they are some of the warmest, friendliest people I have met. They welocmed me and accepted me and I miss them every day. Maybe I will head back up there one day soon.
