the left coast
ahh... the unavoidable question: "where are you from?" I'm at the point where I don't know what to say anymore. My natural reaction over this past year has been "America", as most folks I encountered overseas didn't necessarily know where San Diego was. Sometimes I would add "Southern California" but that generally led to some confusion with Hollywood or Disneyland - right climate, wrong vibe - try Mexico border area. Since I've been back in America, its been so good to be back in my home country that I had not thought about this to the degree which would separate myself from fellow Americans. Until the past few weeks... as I've been considering moving back to the East Coast of the US. Truth be told, I was born in New Jersey, moved to Arizona when I was 4, grew up in Tempe, moved to San Diego for college when I was 17, and lived there for 11 years straight. Since then I lived in Phoenix for 2 years, back to San Diego for 2 more years, and to Israel and traveling for about the last year. So it was natural for me to gravitate back to San Diego - one would think.
When you live somewhere for 13 years, it is not your hometown, and you are there without any of your family, you may experience a values shift at some point. I can certainly call San Diego home - I know the city better than any other, have met hundreds of people over the years, and have acclimated to the weather more easily than anywhere else on the planet. I have had decent jobs on-and-off while I've been here, and an amazing cultural experience with all the various social groups and events I've been involved with, as San Diego is a very diverse American city. Yet after traveling around the world I realize that this wonderful place is just a little speck on the planet, the existence of which most of the rest of the world is not necessarily aware of. In addition, the Left Coast mentality does not match my own moral, ethical, and political preferences - and that's where reality sets in.
When you observe or attempt to engage in conversation with citizens of the Left Coast, you may perhaps identify a serious concern which likely emanates from the Hollywood sphere - wrought with Leftists, uneducated yet beautiful - thus such beauty can be deceptive to the glamour-driven society who idolizes them. This phenomenon is one of ignorance, in which their media-induced liberalism has taken over to the point of masking reality or anything which stems from the realm of fact. I hate to say that I cannot even relate to many of my friends anymore, and have been faced with the challenge of trying to find my REAL friends in this mass of perfect bodies. I hang out in the library, beloved corporate Starbucks, the gym, or at the beach and harbor to attempt to transcend this facet of tarnished American society, but maybe I just need another change of scenery as I did with my residence abroad. I've felt a draw to move back to the East Coast for the last several years, ever since visiting New York and New Jersey with my Dad in 2002. While I did not get accepted into my PhD program of choice in that region for this Fall, the Earth's gravitational force is indeed pulling me Eastward. At the very least, I will be visiting New York next weekend with my best friend.
As I move forward, the time has come to leave the Westward (backward) HOs to bask in the year-round sunshine (pro-choice STD fest) with their closed-minded liberal ignorance and party-harder-than your neighbor attitude. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE San Diego, and America's Finest City will always feel like home to me. After all, I "grew up" here, but sadly to say I've outgrown it. Thus as a token of my compassionate nature, I may leave behind for my dear friends a map of the world to include the aforementioned speck-of-the-planet marked with an X, and highlighted area of undeniable geo-seismic activity along none-other-than their beloved Left Coast.
When you live somewhere for 13 years, it is not your hometown, and you are there without any of your family, you may experience a values shift at some point. I can certainly call San Diego home - I know the city better than any other, have met hundreds of people over the years, and have acclimated to the weather more easily than anywhere else on the planet. I have had decent jobs on-and-off while I've been here, and an amazing cultural experience with all the various social groups and events I've been involved with, as San Diego is a very diverse American city. Yet after traveling around the world I realize that this wonderful place is just a little speck on the planet, the existence of which most of the rest of the world is not necessarily aware of. In addition, the Left Coast mentality does not match my own moral, ethical, and political preferences - and that's where reality sets in.
When you observe or attempt to engage in conversation with citizens of the Left Coast, you may perhaps identify a serious concern which likely emanates from the Hollywood sphere - wrought with Leftists, uneducated yet beautiful - thus such beauty can be deceptive to the glamour-driven society who idolizes them. This phenomenon is one of ignorance, in which their media-induced liberalism has taken over to the point of masking reality or anything which stems from the realm of fact. I hate to say that I cannot even relate to many of my friends anymore, and have been faced with the challenge of trying to find my REAL friends in this mass of perfect bodies. I hang out in the library, beloved corporate Starbucks, the gym, or at the beach and harbor to attempt to transcend this facet of tarnished American society, but maybe I just need another change of scenery as I did with my residence abroad. I've felt a draw to move back to the East Coast for the last several years, ever since visiting New York and New Jersey with my Dad in 2002. While I did not get accepted into my PhD program of choice in that region for this Fall, the Earth's gravitational force is indeed pulling me Eastward. At the very least, I will be visiting New York next weekend with my best friend.
As I move forward, the time has come to leave the Westward (backward) HOs to bask in the year-round sunshine (pro-choice STD fest) with their closed-minded liberal ignorance and party-harder-than your neighbor attitude. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE San Diego, and America's Finest City will always feel like home to me. After all, I "grew up" here, but sadly to say I've outgrown it. Thus as a token of my compassionate nature, I may leave behind for my dear friends a map of the world to include the aforementioned speck-of-the-planet marked with an X, and highlighted area of undeniable geo-seismic activity along none-other-than their beloved Left Coast.
posted by :: Lisa :: at 3:09 PM
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