In honor of 9ish months in Birmingham and 9 months to the day at my job here are 9 observations I've processed since moving to Birmingham:
1) Having a Super Target 5 minutes from my apt really is the best. I still haven't grown use to the fact of how easy it is to go grab a few things and then have a trunk to put said items in.
2) I LOVE having so much space to live in and also MISS having such a small space to live in. I learned in NYC that space really isn't that necessary and as nice as it is to have more than 2 shelves for my groceries and a bedroom that fits more than a twin bed I also miss the simplicity of small space.
3) NYC is so crazy expensive. I knew the city was expensive. I felt the expense of the city. But man on man moving out of the city makes you realize it's even more expense than you thought. It's totally doable to make it work, but I'm definitely loving the lower cost of living and that I don't have to constantly look at my bank account to make sure I have enough money to buy a gallon of milk (kind of kidding...kind of not).
4) I could totally do without a car. People use to ask me all the time if I missed having a car in the city and the answer never changed. "NO!" yes I did feel stuck at times and there were nights that I would have loved to have had a car to climb into (and that's when you hail a cab:-)) but 99.9% of the time I loved that I didn't own a car. I loved that I didn't have the expense of it all or the responsibility to check my oil. I loved that I could read a book while riding the subway b/c someone else was in charge of transporting. I loved that I could walk across the block to grab a snack if I was hungry at night instead of getting in my car to drive somewhere. I miss all that. I do love my car and the freedom that it brings, but If Birmingham was a walking/public transportation city I would go without a car.
5) People in the south are incredibly friendly. I realized when I moved here that I had a little PTSD from the fear of people being rude to me. I would (and always will) defend the fact that New Yorkers are nice! They really are great people, but New Yorkers wouldn't win a friendliness award against people in Alabama. Some of that I actually miss because New Yorkers will "shoot you straight" in a way that Southerners won't, but I will admit I do appreciate and am thankful for some of the southern hospitality and friendliness that has greeted me during my 9 months here.
6) Making friends in Birmingham is so much harder than NYC. In NYC people are always coming and going and people are trained to be inclusive. For the most part everyone is up for meeting new people and making new friends. In Birmingham so many people are from here and either cling to friends who they went to high school, college, etc with or people in their same stage of life. There are not as many opportunities to meet people and although people are definitely friendly here going to the next level of friendship is so much harder.
7) I knew living in NYC was hard, but didn't realize how hard it was until I moved out of the city. The pace of life, the expense, the space, the everyday is so incredibly hard. I know that I've said to people here before "life is so easy down here" and I know that life is really never easy, but man does NYC present some challenges that other places don't. It's such a beautifully unique place that takes a toll on you in a way that I believe nowhere else in America ever will. Once I had been out of the city about a month I realized I was breathing deeper, sleeping better, and in general feeling better. I don't say that to say that NYC is not an incredible place to live, but it made me realize even more why if you are going to live in the city it is so helpful to have a place outside of the city to escape to (if I only I could have afforded a house in the Hamptons:))
8) I miss the diversity of the city. I miss being around people that are different from me. NYC is a melting pot and I really did live in the middle of nations. I hard multiple languages everyday and there were lots of moments when I felt like a minority. I loved that about NYC. I loved that I had friends from all over the world and that I had the opportunity to be influenced by the nations. Living in NYC is like living in a different country at times and you definitely are having cross cultural experiences almost every single day. I will admit it is part of what makes living in NYC difficult at times, but for the most part I absolutely loved it and I miss it greatly. Living in Birmingham I can at times feel like I am living in a bubble and have to be more purposeful about seeking opportunities to get outside of the bubble.
9) I've realized that a move is physical but the transition of the actual change is so much more. When I made the actual physical move almost everything in my life changed and that has been hard to get adjusted to. I have almost equal emotions of missing the life that I had in the city and also really enjoying the life I have in Alabama. It's funny how you can experience very different emotions of sadness and joy at the same time. I'm learning to hold on to what I held dear in the city and also let go of what I need to let go of. I'm also learning to be open to all that life brings me here and to let people, experiences, and this place into my heart a little deeper.
People told me it would take a year to feel adjusted and I'm thinking that must be true. It's still hard for me to believe it's been 9 months. It most ways it's gone by so incredibly quickly. I'm thankful that I can always hold those years in my heart and that it's only a quick plane ride away to go visit. I'm also thankful that God brought me to Birmingham and that He has provided for me here. Who knows one day I may be moving back to the city..... or moving across the world. I'm all about keeping my life open:-) Thankfully I know the Lord will be faithful through transitions and in all the newness and change He is right beside me. He always has and He always will.
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