I've always had trouble coming up with an answer when people ask me where I'm from. Even after living in Georgia for 11 years, my friends still tease me occasionally for my Midwestern tendencies (Coke will always be pop to me) and my love of all things Nebraskan, which is well established from my years growing up in Omaha. Presently, going "back home" means returning to Georgia, but whenever I tell people I'm from the South, I still tend to add the disclaimer that I spent my childhood in Nebraska. In London I never knew whether to tell people I was from DC or from Georgia, although I always made sure to mention that DC was the place I was returning to once I made my way back across the pond. And of course, after 5 months living in Spain I consider it my adopted motherland.
As conflicted as I may be about "where I'm from" at this transient point in my life, and as much as I may want to get away from Georgia (who doesn't want to leave the place they grew up in?), there's nothing quite like coming back to Dalton--where my parents live, where I spent my teenage years, where many of my friends consider home--especially during the holidays. My stints in Dalton flanking my time in London (post-graduation summer and pre-employment Christmas) have been especially nice. These breaks have given me a chance to catch up with high school friends, spend some time with my family without worrying about the papers I should be writing and text books I should be reading (a welcome break after a lifetime as a student--although I do need to get on those job applications...), and be more of a townie than I ever was when I was in high school.
Examples of my townie-ness: Within my first week here after returning from London, I enjoyed virtually every holiday-related event Dalton has to offer. My dad and I went to the Dalton Christmas parade and saw the beautiful Budweiser Clydesdale horses; I ran in the Silver Bell Sprint 5k race (my first race in 5 years--and I got 3rd place (!) for my age group with the lightning-fast speed of 29:17); I saw our local musical production of A Christmas Carol, as well as the Dalton High School holiday chorus show and the middle school Christmas play. I've also had a chance to spend time with my high school pals that are in town, and I even journeyed to Atlanta for a little Hoya reunion--I got to have lunch with two of my college girlfriends. It was SO nice to see them, especially because I hadn't seen one of them since we graduated in May! There's been lots of family festivities too: we celebrated my mom's birthday this week, my sister returned home from college, and we spent last weekend sipping egg nog and hot chocolate and decorating the house for Christmas.
All in all, it's turning into quite a lovely Dalton December. I still have a nagging sense of guilt that I'm not devoting more time to applying for jobs, finding an apartment, and packing up my things to move back to DC in January, but I've been doing a little bit of all that too. Right now the more pressing issue is the amount of Christmas shopping I still have to do! But while I'm enjoying all this small-town holiday cheer, I am PUMPED to get back to the District. I miss city life, and I am so ready to have my own apartment and a real job. Maybe then I'll finally feel like a grown-up? Probably not...and I doubt I'll act like one either.
Well dear readers, as I have no more news from the mews, this is where I sign off. I hope you enjoyed reading about my London adventures and got a little taste of how much I enjoyed living them. I wish you all the happiest of holidays in whatever corner of the world you consider home and a wonderful 2011.
Love,
Molly
xxx
