Philly Living: One Year in Retrospect

Yesterday was my one-year anniversary with Philadelphia. Mind-fucking-boggling.

September 1st, 2009, I flew into PHL with two stuffed suitcases, a box holding TDH (my bike), and the shiny new face of a soon-to-be graduate student. I came in with the mindset that I'd be "out in 10 months," and used that as fuel to get me over the hurdles of my new life. Even though I eventually began enjoying the vivacity of the city, I still had a light at the end of the tunnel, and constantly imagined myself moving back home. I made friends, we had epic (yes, I mean carving in concrete sidewalks with our keys epic) nights, I felt at ease, but even so there was a temporary quality to it all. My entire life at Penn felt like an extended summer fling or honeymoon. I was enamored by my first east coast fall, awestruck by my first (and second and third) Nor'easter, and my jaw dropped and spirits soared at the first cherry blossoms of spring. I had made it, I'd gotten through. Through all this, all the fun I was having, the novelty of my situation was what really made it exciting. I loved telling people "this is my first time ____" and "I've never heard of ___", it made me feel naive and innocent in the most positive way. I learned so much about Philadelphia's rich history, about the Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch of Lancaster Country, UPenn and it's place in the Ivy League and the city. Really, such an enriching experience.

All this being said, if someone had told me a year ago that I would soon be settling into Philly indefinitely, I would have laughed in their faces. Further, if they had told me that I would LOVE living here, I would have assumed they were doing hardcore drugs. But here I am, one year later, and I couldn't love my life more. I'm not much for anniversaries, but I honestly woke up with a huge smile on my face when I realized the date. I do love Philly, and I can feel it loving me back.

Peace, Love and Philly!

:-)