Moving

I have lived in 8 different states. I’ve lived from California to New Jersey and a few Midwest states in between. I couldn’t say I have a favorite place to live simply because they are all so different. I was in different stages of life in each place. As a child, we moved around a lot. I was frequently asked if my dad was in the military. Saying yes would’ve made sense to people. Except that he wasn’t in the military. When I was a teenager and finally able to understand my dad a little better, I would respond to that question rather wryly. I’d say, “He’s just indecisive”. And that was mostly true.

As an adult, moving around has come with job relocations. My husband’s job has required a few moves back and forth across the country. Surprisingly, moving my little family hasn’t bothered me. Sure, it is sad to leave behind friends and family. But the prospect of exploring new places, and making new friends and memories has become exciting for me. It has been fun to discover how culturally different America can be according to the region you live in. My kids have learned important lessons as a result of moving to new schools and communities.

I’ll never forget the day my daughter, Sarah came home from school and asked if I could teach her Yiddish. Huh? I didn’t even know what Yiddish sounded like, let alone know how to speak it! It turned out, she was the only child in her entire fourth-grade class that wasn’t Jewish and knew how to speak Yiddish. The problem arose on the playground. Her friends would revert to speaking Yiddish at recess, meaning she felt entirely left out. She was a blonde, blue-eyed tall girl who didn’t fit in. We had several discussions about how to be the only person standing out in a crowd. We spoke about being confidently different. And that it was perfectly okay! We went on to invite her Jewish friends over for dinner (which meant I had to learn how to cook a kosher meal) and learn a little about Jewish traditions. Those years were formative for all of us! My kids learned what it meant to be in the minority within our little Jewish community.

I often wonder if my love of travel was sparked by moving around as a child. I don’t like to stay in one place too long. I always want to know where the next trip will be and have something new to look forward to. I almost feel trapped if I don’t get to see more than my little corner of the world. Travel (especially internationally) is a pretty good cure for racism, too. I don’t know how anyone could travel to another country and immerse themselves in a new culture and not see how small their own perceptions of reality are. The world is a beautiful place with so many beautiful people and cultures! My own culture, religion, and ethnicity are just a tiny speck of humanity.

So, if you get the chance- MOVE. Go somewhere. Maybe you only have time for a small trip. Find somewhere new, with new foods and cultures. Your own little world will be better for it! I promise.