I never thought I was the homesick type. My college days were filled with ambition and expectation of leaving the nest and seeing what the world has to offer. The youthful drive is still there, with all the optimism of creating change in the world, but now, I feel it.
I miss home.
This is the first time I’ve been away from Southern California for an extended amount of time. The familiarity of the streets, shops, and freeways are gone. I still use my GPS to find the closest coffee shop or gas station, when they would normally be intuitive. I miss the proximity to my friends and loved ones, where when I use to complain if the drive to see them would be 45 minutes now would take 6 hours and 45 minutes.
I miss the food, too. San Jose and San Francisco has wonderful dining establishments, but I yearn for that authentic Chinese food you can only get from the San Gabriel Valley, or the strong proliferation of food trucks that have over-saturated the Southern California market. I miss all you can eat Korean BBQ.
I miss income. I loved my job, but while I was working I wanted to return to school. Graduate school is wonderful, but I realized how nice it was to have a job that I felt passionate about – working with volunteers and communication and serving those affected by Alzheimer’s. A steady job also meant steady income and a consistent schedule, which I forgot as a student, neither is likely.
I know it’s just a matter of getting use to a new place. I am not completely alone. I have some friends that have moved back to the bay area when they went to school at my undergrad. Being a student also allows me to meet lots of new and interesting people, developing another circle of friends that can compliment my life in Northern California. I wonder when will the feeling of home be transplanted up north, but until then, I’m making the most of my time here.
Though there’s nothing like Asian food and sandy beaches of Southern California.
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i wont disagree about the Asian food in SGV but big sur can replace my SoCal Beaches any day
@John – What’s big sur?
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