Feb 05 2008
This is the one where I’m homesick.
I’ve been in Arizona for about 2 months now. And in all honesty, I don’t hate it. There is something inside, however, that I’ve been holding in because I thought, “If I don’t say it out loud, it won’t be true.” I was wrong, so now I’ll say it:
I’m homesick.
Don’t misinterpret this. I have no intentions of packing up and moving back to California, but I am missing my friends, my routine, my job, my apartment, my neighbors, and my comfort. The idea of starting over was so exciting, but now that excitement has worn off I’m starting to realize how daunting it is to fill that slate that you were so eager to wipe clean.
Little things have thrown me into tiny bouts of depression. Yesterday I realized how different Arizona rain was from California rain, and I almost teared up. I guess I never realized how lucky Californians are that their rain water can just drain immediately to the ocean. Here in Arizona we have to deal with a lot of flooded streets and strange irrigation basins.
When I made the decision to move here I told myself that I wasn’t going to be one of those annoying people that pack up and move away and return in a few months. I’m here in Arizona for at least two years; I’ve made that promise to myself.
So now I’ll just kick it here in my new home and re-read the posts I wrote about the things I’ll miss when I move to Arizona:
- This is the one where I’ll miss my co-workers.
- This is the one where I’ll miss the Strawberry Festival.
- This is the one where I’ll miss the beach.
- This is the one where I’ll miss Disney Tourists.
- This is the one where I’ll miss my routine.
- This is the one where I’ll miss my friends.
- This is the one where I’ll miss knowing everything.
- This is the one where I’ll miss Little Saigon.
- This is the one where I’ll miss Julie Anne Leynes.
- This is the one from my last day of work.
- This is the one with more goodbye-saying.
If I had known then what I know now, there are a few additions I’d make to that list:
- This is the one where I’ll miss multi-multiculturalism.
- This is the one where I’ll miss cheap avocados.
- This is the one where I’ll miss dance clubs.
I hate the US Open for screwing up my TiVo and not recording Big Brother.
Multi-multiculturalism? Sounds un-American.
I kid I kid.
Starting over in a new place is tough. Hang in there.
And yes… rain here sucks big time. :(
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Awh, it’s only been two months… don’t worry, it’ll pass as time passes. I was away from home (in Ireland) for almost two years and though I missed Toronto… it definitely got easier with time. Then again… I suppose Arizona isn’t exactly Ireland. heh I don’t know. I hope you feel better though!
The flooding that occurs after the rain here does make things interesting. The one thing I love about the rain is the wet desert smell afterwards. The need to make a candle of that smell!
I’ve never moved to a new location and had to start fresh so I can’t really offer any advice. All I can say is that Arizona is a better place with you here. :)
You can always come visit :-)
I voted today, totally thought of you.
You and I both.
(With the difference in that you can’t go back ‘home’ and I am this weekend)
[...] I wrote here last week, I’ve been feeling a little homesick, and I’ve been missing California. In [...]