This week marks the end of my nomadic transitional phase of summer. They say that grass is always greener on the other side, but in order to understand that, we have to make mistakes and eventually hop onto the other side of the fence in order to appreciate what we have right in our own back yard.

This summer I decided to go an alternative route when it comes to my living situation and move out of Boston in exchange for more familiar ground, yet a completely unfamiliar city. Although I grew up in New York state, the city has, and always will be foreign to me. In no other city in the world have I felt as lost or confused or frustrated by the day to day hustle and bustle that is what makes New York special. Countless hours wasted on shoddy public transportation systems, the MTA gobbling up every last hard earned dollar. In other words, there was no use fighting it, New York is not my city. Not now anyway. I needed this experience to learn how to breathe, and to understand that constant change can be overwhelming at times. I learned that working with the public can bring out more ugly in me than I thought existed.

So I decided to make the transition back to Boston.This time, with the complete intention of living in my apartment for the duration of the lease. Actively committing to one place after almost three years of nomadic living is terrifying, but necessary and welcomed.

Lately I have been stressed mostly by what can be best described as the “Physiological Need” in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Not having a kitchen, or my own space has been more taxing than I could have imagined. Living out of a suitcase is great, and I won’t be giving it up any time soon, however not being able to rest any more than a day in any one given location is less than ideal. Nonetheless, I do realize that this is a choice I made. Not something that was forced upon me by any outside force besides minor character flaws when it comes to making decisions. After living a beautifully messy and sporadic few months, I am back in Boston, ready to face the next chapter. Travels will still ensue, however this time it is about focusing on me and what types of things I want to accomplish this year in both my professional and academic life. I know that sounds strange to hear a flight attendant want to develop her professional skills. But every day is a new day, each year can bring something completely different.

I think the important thing to remember at this point in my life is that nothing is permanent. Even a one year lease isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things.

Here is to another year in Boston, with hope on the horizon for many more adventures and personal growth!