Home Sweet (not so) Home

As some of you already know, I am not originally from anywhere near this area. I grew up most of my life in Santa Clara, California, pretty much the furthest you can get from here while still staying in the continental U.S.

When I first made this decision to move 2911 miles (yes, I know the miles...I did have to drive it...) away from home I was terrified that I was possibly making the worst decision of my life so far. I was overly content at home with my family and amazing friends I had known since elementary school surrounding me. Initially when I told people I was moving, they made bets on how soon I would be back home for good. Now, as I look back a little over two years later, I wouldn't take back a single decision I have made. There have been so many things I have learned and experienced, so many people I would never have met and know that I will remain close with them for a long time, all of which I will take with me into my own classroom. I absolutely promise you two things:
1. You will completely and utterly find out who you truly are when you leave home and those who have known you your entire life and
2. You will learn to appreciate the place you left to the fullest and I can guarantee that there is probably nothing in this world like the feeling you get when the plane is finally landing at home after you have been gone for such a long time.

I think it is so important for us, as future teachers, to go out and experience the world, or at least something completely different than what you are used to. How else are we to be able to accept those who are different from us, to understand that not everyone in the world thinks the way we do or was brought up the way we were? There are so many things in life that I still want to experience, and I think that ultimately these experiences will make me ten times the teacher I would be if I didn't have them. So if you are considering moving away but you're nervous or scared, I say do it. If you've made up your mind to stay in the same town or city you've grown up in and know like the back of your hand, I say reconsider it. Because even though it may get a little lonely and you may at times feel a little homesick (especially around the holidays), believe me it's so worth it. Besides, what's the worst that could happen...you decide you don't like it and you go home...