Going West

Last year, the company I work for purchased another company that is based in San Francisco. A few months ago, we began the merger process and some of my colleagues began making trips out to SF to facilitate the process. Some of my coworkers were even temporarily or permanently moved for the merger. Seeing an opportunity, I decided to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors and seek riches at old gold mountain (旧金山) as a (ruby on) rail worker* so I requested to be moved out there myself. Before I could even grasp how much of my life was changing, I was approved for the move. A few days ago, I booked my one-way ticket to San Francisco. I'll be leaving New York City on February 14th.

I always wanted to move around a lot and go on zany adventures across the globe, but turbulent shifts in location can come at the price of developing a strong career. There are plenty of other obstacles to mobility including work, significant others, kids, mortgages, etc. Being merely twenty-three, single (nobody likes you when you're twenty-three), essentially free of attachments, and with the same job ready for me in San Francisco, I figured why not. There's only going to be so many opportunities in my life where I can just pick up and move so why not now.

Of course, moving does not come without any fears or risks. Just about everyone I know is in NYC including the vast majority of my close friends. One of my close friends who has been living in SF is even moving out, though staying in the Bay Area. I basically don't know anybody in SF, which is a little scary, but then what's life without a little risk?

Now don't get me wrong, I love New York. I always have and I probably always will. I've lived here for over a half a decade now and I definitely consider myself a local. Although I grew up in a (boring) suburb outside of (fucking cold) Boston, I know New York like the back of my hand, better than I ever knew Boston or even my home town (growing up, my parents didn't let me out much...). However, despite all the love, sometimes change is good.

Wish me luck! :D

* This is just a pun since I'm a programmer. I actually probably won't be working in Ruby, but rather C++/C#/Java/Perl, which is unfortunate. :(