Home Again, Home Again

We are back in Lafayette after a week in New York City as well as two additional weeks abroad for Roxi and we are both very glad to be home. Roxi can speak more about her time in Scotland and Italy, but as for New York I can honestly say we both had a wonderful time. We arrived back late last night after an afternoon of travel that saw us narrowly avoid being stranded in Houston for a night due to weather. Thankfully, our flights were all on time and were only a little bumpier than I would have liked. We spent most of the day recuperating and relaxing as we prepare for everyone to venture to Lafayette for Christmas in a few days.

During the day, I have been able to reflect further on our time in New York and although we had a really great time visiting our friends and family there, I don't think that either of us are in a hurry to move there. I am so glad that our friends and loved ones in the metropolis are having success and enjoying life in the city, but I'll stick to visiting for now. I feel sort of the same way that I did when I lived in Atlanta. Most residents of Atlanta were of the opinion that it was such a great place to live but I didn't understand or share their feeling for several reasons. I suppose when it comes down to it, for some people, there is a willingness to put up with many inconveniences (i.e. traffic, long commutes, crowded spaces, etc.) to enjoy the benefits of big city life (i.e. more options in restaurants, shopping, entertainment, etc.). When I lived in Atlanta, I realized that although I too enjoy those types of benefits, I wasn't willing to put up with all of the inconveniences. I realized that I needed a more moderately sized city with a better balance. I felt that my time in Austin and Nashville were closer to such an ideal. I suppose that my opinion will continue to evolve and change, but for now, New York is an excellent vacation destination, but not the place I could see myself making a go of it. So to our friends and family there, we will be back, but for now, it will most likely only be to visit.

Thanks to Joel, Katie, Garrett, Nicole, Melody and Gabe for showing us a great time and letting us save a little money by staying at their places for a few days. We love you all and look forward to seeing you again soon, be it in New York or somewhere else.