Branching out

I don't know if I've mentioned this on the blog yet, but I'm actually doing this travel PT thing! After taking my first assignment in Bedford, VA, right near Lynchburg and very much in my comfort zone - now I'm heading to Colorado, which is about 1500 miles out of my comfort zone.

In Lynchburg, I was able to stay at my own townhouse, in a town I know, with friends nearby (at least within driving distance), and live with family (my brother). Everything was familiar and pretty easy. I got to test out how travel PT works without having to move to a completely new place. Even though it was hard at first being thrown into a new job with high expectations, the fact that I was back in a place I loved made the transition easier.

Now I'm about to move to a town where I know absolutely no one, with no friends or family nearby - for the simple reason that I've always wanted to go to Colorado. The town is so small that there aren't any apartments to rent, so I'm going to be staying in a bed and breakfast for the next 3 months. The B&B doesn't even have a website. I had to call and ask about all the details.

I have to be honest: a week ago I was super excited to get a job in Colorado, and a little nervous. This week I'm super nervous, and a little excited. I was sad to leave Lynchburg today. I felt like I was saying goodbye to everything I've known for the past nine years. The last time I felt like this was when I first moved to Virginia in 2005 to start college.

I remember that first week, being so homesick and lonely, and realizing that I needed to overcome my natural shyness to go out and meet people. That year ended up being one of the best years of my life. I met so many people, got to experience new places, and grew a lot as a person. I learned how to be friendlier, and learned a lot about what I wanted in a friendship/relationship. I'm not expecting Colorado to be that same experience, but I do know I wanted a change and a new adventure. For college, I moved 12 hours away to a place I had only visited once. Now I'm moving 24 hours away to a place I've never been.

Go big or go home, right? Or in my case: Go WAY out of your comfort zone, or you might as well stay home.