Country life Vs. City Life

“Don’t let fear stop you from doing the things you want to do, because in the end you will regret everything” 

What takes you to the life where you are now? Where do you want to go from there? Did you have to travel many miles or move next door from where you grew up? Did you have to make tons of money or lose it all in a bet?

I started out a simple life, living with my parents in a town. Surrounded by a good neighborhood and the neighbor had a dog that loved us. As the years passed, we moved all over. First, we moved out into the country and lived a good life. I helped my grandfather at his buffalo farm and we even got to help clean the ghost town. Life was simple. At this point, I had no idea what a “Whataburger” was or even an ” H-E-B” Living in the north, we did not really have any of those places or even “Uber or lyft” We had place liked “Walmart” or “Dakotamart” and “Dirty roads and muddy hands.” We had really cold winters and mild summers. We grew our own foods and drove ourselves to places to eat and buy groceries, there was no one to do it for us. We would spend hours and hours in a car just to get to the grocery store. Sounds simple right? Driving around in old, muddy beat up cars, because the cost of living was not that high. We enjoy getting our hands dirty. There was no big corporations out there, just fields of corn.

In 2017,  I took the plunge and moved to a big, I mean HUGE city. With hours in traffic and more opportunities. I traveled a total of 1000 miles just to get to where I am today. I drove on unknown roads, wondering if my car would break down any second or if I was violating any laws with each state I passed through. I was terrified, I had no idea if I would be able to make it. I had no idea if people would help me, I took a step to do this on my own. My parents wanted me to stay with them in their sweet little safe home. A home that I knew I could help build myself. But, I did not want to rely on them, I want to build me. So I investigated my options. I needed to find a reason why I wanted to move from my easy country life to a busy city life. I looked at the job value, the home values and even if there was any opportunities for me verse what I can get while living with my parents. There were pros and cons for both opportunities.  My parents did not want me to move, but I knew I had to go out and find myself in this crazy world. So… I took the step….

I stepped into an unknown world that I knew nothing about. I was protected my whole life and relied on everyone else to tell me what to do. Now, I was all on my own and it felt…Good…It felt good to find me. Trust me it was NOT easy. I did struggle for a few years and still working towards my goals. I had to learn how to walk in my own steps, my own beat. I had to do it without giving in to someone telling me how to do it. I was on my own and figuring out my own plans. I had meant my fiance around this time, but I knew I had to not rely on him to get me to where I needed to be. I had to be my own person. He was my biggest supporter and I gave it to him straight that I was here to figure out me, I was here to know me. Throughout our relationship we both are becoming really strong people.

I had stepped out of the “country life” and into the “city life” I had to get used to more people around me. I had to get used to all the job opportunities and which transportations (Please read my “Transportation” blog on how I get to work everyday)  to take to my job, trust me, I was nervous on missing the train and bus or uber. I had no idea was an uber was. I just knew that was the “thing” . I was nervous at first, I had no idea of I was doing it right. There are so many rules and guidelines to follow in a big city , some days I wondered if it was all worth it. I wonder how “city people” got used to these guidelines and rules , how they kept them all straight. Everything was different, the world was different around me. I could not just step back and go back home, I just do take one set and one day at a time.

This big city of Austin, had more opportunities, and let us be honest here, I had no idea where to look. I wanted to change my career field, but I felt like I had to keep my career to actually build something here in this new state. So, I applied at a childcare place, I knew this was wrong. I knew this is not where I belonged, but I also knew ” I had to do what I had to do” just to get by. Everyday, at that job I would block out everything around me and forget what I was doing. I would tell myself ” This is not me, I did not move miles and miles to do the same again.” so I went looking for another job. A job that got me to where I needed to go. A job that says “yes! this is what you want to do” My job I have to take the train to work everyday and me being a “country girl” was actually really excited. People here began to question me. They asked ” Why are you excited to get take the train?” I would tell them that in the north we did not need to take an adventure just to get to work, we would just do a 10 min drive or a walk and BAM! we are at work!

My transportation to work was an adventure, I love taking the train and making the weird stops, I also have to take a scooter to work from the train. I would never complain, because I would always look back at my life in the “country” and think about how many times my car broke down on my way to work. How many times I had to drive in the sleet and snow just to get to work. How many times my dad had to save me from the snow. I felt lucky , because I knew that I had another way to get to work.

This wonderful city had more opportunities in regards to “things to do.” When I lived in the country, I would stay at home, because traveling anywhere would take hours and hours. I would have to scoop the snow from the tires or make sure my car had enough gas in it to have me get home. I had to find ways to keep me busy at home and I did not really like hanging at home everyday. Living in the city, I am able to take a walk along the river or swim at different places each day or see the events that were going on each week. I was open to new foods and places to see. Discovered new foods that I really liked that was too expensive to buy or eat in the north. I developed a taste for spicy foods and chick peas. I learned to build my mind and body to new possibilities. I did this because I was willing to do this. I did not question anything. I just went with it. I keep each step with confidence. My favorite food used to be spaghetti, but now it is “mussels” I used to hate sea food, but I can eat it everyday. Why? Because I decided to stop being scared and open my heart and soul to something new.

So to end this blog, Yes! something 1000 miles away from my family had it pros and cons. I have learned so many things about myself and the people around me. I have learned to take these changes by storm. I knew people who get scared at the thought of a move like this, but if I were to share one thing….“Don’t let fear stop you from doing the things you want to do, because in the end you will regret everything” 

** Credit to my Sister who helped provide some pictures for this blog***