At some point in my life, I’ve heard that moving, getting married, and the death of a loved one are three of the most stressful things a person will ever encounter in their life. Do I have the statistics to back this up? Absolutely not. But it stuck with me. I’ve always been a wandering soul. While my “permanent” home has, in my adult life, always been in Georgia, I’ve also put some roots down in other places.
Here’s a bit for you guys that wish to know more about me and my background. Also, cheers to hoping this means I get the question “Where do you live?” less.
Florida:
This is where I was born. Do I remember it? Absolutely not. We moved when I was a few weeks old. Truthfully, I wasn’t even born in the city I lived in. So, it’s safe to say this state hadn’t made a huge impact on my life at this point. Then, comes the summer of 2020. COVID has hit, and if you read my last blog post, you’ll know Florida became a pretty big hit in my life when it was the place I ended up re-acquainting with my now boyfriend.
North Carolina:
When I think of North Carolina, I can smell trees and grass. Much like Florida, North Carolina left little of an impression on me. Aside from the fact that I lived in a small town and attended a heavily religious private school, I don’t remember much. I moved from North Carolina when I was in first grade, so everything is a bit fuzzy from that time period.
Georgia:
Oh, Georgia. It’s given me so much, but also taken so much away from me. From the drug hustlers in high school, to the cliques that formed in elementary school and carried on throughout the years, it’s a weird place. In my town, everyone is just like everyone else, for the most part. People really stick with the status quo here. If you don’t drive a nice car or have a parent that’s a doctor, you’re pretty much the minority. Throughout the years, as you will see below, I’ve left Georgia and returned numerous times. Once I graduate college, that’s the plan for good!
Montana:
Sweet, sweet Montana. For a short stint after high school, I lived in Canyon Village at Yellowstone National Park. It was some of the best and worst months of my life. For the first time, I was truly alone. For the first time, I had more freedom than I had ever experienced. The pros outweighed the cons. As soon as I left, I knew, without a doubt, I would be back one day.
South Carolina:
I’m not sure if this state even counts. I lived with a friend in this state for the duration of one summer. It was fun, but a long drive from my job in Georgia. The entire chapter of South Carolina is a slightly bitter one that feels like a day dream at this point, but I’m glad it happened regardless.
Idaho:
Idaho Falls, Idaho was the weirdest place I have ever lived. Imagine being surrounded by houses that were built in the 1959s, are falling apart, yet they cost close to $300,000. A majority of the population in Idaho Falls is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, also known as Mormon. As someone who has visible tattoos and has a habit of showing off her midriff when dressing, this was a totally bizarre atmosphere for me to exist in.
Wyoming:
Living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming was a dream. The cost of living was outrageous (we’re talking $2,000+ a month for a 700 sq. ft. loft that’s old as dirt) but it was all completely worth it. Imagine waking up to the beautiful scent of snow mixed with wind. Being a short walk from a local health food store, I was in heaven living here. If I was hungry, I could mosey over to Jackson Whole Grocer and order some fresh made stir fry. While my time in Jackson was short, it was enjoyable. Like I said, I knew I would end up back in this part of the country.
Nevada:
Las Vegas is intense. With a 24-hour city, gambling, coupled with it being an intensely hot desert, things could get weird really quickly. Most of my nights were spent wandering around the Las Vegas strip people watching. Because I wasn’t much of a gambler, I never experienced that part of the Las Vegas culture. My apartment was beautiful, but this is where quarantine began for me during the COVID crisis. Las Vegas came to a quick halt in April of 2020, but I am thankful for the experience overall.
Soon to be… Texas:
At the end of December, I’ll be starting my brief stay in Texas. Remember the guy I mentioned in the last post? Well, I’m moving there with him. I can’t wait to find out if everything really is bigger in Texas.
The whole point of this post is to keep track of where I’ve lived. It’s strange to think of all of the things I’ve done in my 23 years on this Earth, and I’m excited to see what else the world has in store for me.
Casually Carolyn 