In the summer of 2005 I moved from my rural home in eastern Kansas to the city of Orlando, Florida. What did I know about Orlando? I knew it was hot, that it rained once a day and that it offered a wide variety of vacation options for you and your family. I went there looking to broaden my horizons, experience new things and to see how people live outside the farm. What I found was a bunch of white dudes from the northeast driving around in their big expensive cars, throwing parties in their big expensive houses and showing off their super skinny, expensive wives. Alas, Orlando was not all bad. I also found Park Ave CDs, Brian’s Restaurant, the Winter Park Farmer’s Market, and Jess Egan (the only known offspring of June Cleaver and Martha Stewart). But then, Orlando, you went too far. You built one too many strip malls. You franchised one too many Starbucks. You almost had me back when you opened two H&M locations, but then you put them at opposite ends of the city and nowhere near my house. Orlando, I gave you five years of my life; you gave me some good times, some good friends, and probably skin cancer from all the sunburns, but that remains to be seen.
And so, I am venturing out again to find a new place to call home and to see how people live outside of strip malls. My new home will be in the land of the Bay Area in California. Or more specifically the East Bay/Oakland area, which is across the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco. (I'm poor and the price per square footage on rental units is much less there compared to San Francisco.)
Return here each week as I chronicle the epic move from coast to coast (LITERALLY!) and all my new experiences as a Californian!
may the wind be at your back and some other traveling cliches be yours also, happy trails my friend. and should you ever find yourself in austin tx (as long as its not before august) we shall have a beer and reminisce of the times of old.
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