Most people would call me crazy, leaving Austin only to move back 9 months later. But that was not the intitial plan. The initial plan was to stick it out in NYC for about 2 years and suck up as much of the “big city” life as possible in those sweet 2 years before moving back to Austin.
Yes, the plan always included moving back to Austin. So, if I knew I was to be reunited with my beloved Austin eventually, why did the timeline change? Well, let’s just say as much as I had convinced myself that I’d love NYC, in actuality, it just wasn’t for me. It’s not that I “couldn’t cut it” because I did. Ask my parents – I morphed into the stereotypical NY-er.
I could navigate my way around the subways (with a little help from Google). I could point tourists in the right direction when they were lost. I had perfected the rude, eye rolling, fast paced NY-er lifestyle. I acquired savvy street smarts for hailing a cab. I learned to curse the oblivious, cellphone obsessed tourists. I pleasantly accepted the elite dining experiences and acquired an eclectic taste for champagne & truffles from client dinners, while also learning to snobbishly turn my nose up at the overpriced Tiffany’s bracelet while bargaining in ChinaTown. $15 for a knock-off? Too much. I felt like a true New Yorker.
The problem was, I hated it. I hated spending my morning commute waiting for my transportation to arrive only to board a crowded train & be pushed and shoved through the entire ride. After my morning groping, I’d then have the joy of walking a mile through the natural elements to my office. By that time, any chance of arriving looking the least bit presentable was out the window. My morning beauty efforts were wasted by the wicked wind, drenching rain, freezing snow, or sticky humidity. And don’t even attempt to do this in heels because you can bet your ass you’d end up on it while trotting through the crowded sidewalks. I hated working what felt like 24/7 with no free time to visit the gym, cook dinner, weekend adventures, or even make friends outside of the office. My life was consumed with work, commuting, and recovering from the work week spent in the city.
I missed my old life. I missed the sunshine. I missed seeing greenery. I missed smelling fresh cut grass. I missed driving in my car and listening to the radio. I missed being able to cook dinner. I missed reading. I missed watching my favorite televisions shows. I missed spending time with my boyfriend (outside of work). I missed having girl friends. I missed having time to think. I missed laughing and being goofy. I missed smiling. Really smiling. The big toothy smile where your grin spans ear to ear. I missed being happy.
And that’s when I knew. That’s when I knew that sometimes, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else, you have to do what makes you happy. You have to follow your heart. I knew that being back in Austin would make me happy, so we went. And you know what, I’m happy. So call me crazy, crazy happy!
Here’s a little map of my travels:
Although I’ve lived in three different cities in the past three years, I’ve actually moved a total of 5 times.
1) Rochester > Austin
2) Austin Apartment 1 > Austin Apartment 2
3) Austin > NYC
4) NYC Apartment 1 > NYC Apartment 2
5) NYC > Austin
Public Notice: I will not be helping anyone pack or move in the near future, but feel free to contact me for mover or apartment hunting recommendations!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I lived in New York for two years after college (just moved about six months ago) and COULD NOT understand why I was the only one of my friends who didn’t like it. Not only did I not like it, I HATED it. I’m not even sure why I moved there in the first place – I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like it even before I made the move! People who have never lived there don’t seem to realize that you don’t, in fact, spend every moment going to broadway shoes, sitting in cafes, and having intellectual conversations while looking at museum art. No time or money for that for your average person!
Ahaha, sorry, I obviously feel very strongly about this.