Perspective

There’s nothing like traveling to the other side of the country to get some perspective in life. It’s always good to occasionally get out of one’s comfort zone. In short time I’ve been her I’ve heard more different languages and eaten more different foods than I normally do in a year. The Bay area is quite the melting pot.

While this is my first visit to California I’ve been out West before. My earlier observations still apply: it’s too dry out here. I hear it’s wet in the Northwest, but I don’t know if or when I’ll ever make it out there. The problem is that the best time to visit is in the summer. It’s hard to leave my spot of heaven in Northern New Hampshire during the summer. During the deep freeze of winter, it’s a lot easier to head out on the road. That’s not really the time to visit the Northwest.

Another thing that I realized is that there is no way I could afford to live out here. There’s plenty of jobs and opportunities but everything is expensive. The price of rents and fuel really stick out. Gas is about two dollars a gallon more expensive than back home. Rents are at least three times the cost -if you can find one. Everything seems to be taxed.

Being so far from home I have the opportunity to see it with fresh eyes. It’s hard to get a good hard cold assessment of your home area when living in it. Too much gets taken for granted. You have to go to someplace significantly different to become aware of how home differs from other places. Some things you think are universal are not. That can be a shock.

My lovely wife and I will be out here for a while yet. While here I’m going to take some notes and make plans for when we get back. The trip have been very educational.

-Sixbears