getting there, maybe

getting there, maybe

when nate and i decided to move to rochester, i didn’t think of the implications of learning a whole new town map. the first few weeks after i started my job, i was lucky if i was able to just make it to work and back to austin. if i had to stop someplace on the way back to austin, say target or walmart, i had to plug the place into my map app in my phone and have it tell me how to get there.
this was annoying. this town wasn’t st. cloud! this town wasn’t st. joe, new london, willmar, even the cities to a point.  this town wasn’t like austin, which even after being absent for almost 20 years i could easily navigate. this town wasn’t even fargo, which i knew sort of well enough to get to big landmarks.
i was driving my mom around a couple months ago and she said,
“i have no idea where we are! this isn’t st. cloud!”
“i know! right??”
rochester, while only 40 minutes from austin, was such a distant town while i was growing up. we went to rochester only a few times a year – we were more likely to go to albert lea on a regular basis – despite its proximity. and when we did go to rochester, we went to one of two places: fleet farm or tjmaxx. then once a year i would get to spend some time during the summer at my aunt colette’s house. we would go downtown and check out the fountains (and steal quarters) and maybe eat at bilotti’s for some awesome pizza.
and yet i knew nothing about this town. but now that i’ve been at my new job for a year (holy cats!) i feel like i can get around for the most part. sometimes i need to get to a place that i’ve never been to or seen as i’m driving past and still have to use my gps. but for the most part, i’m able to get around. give me another 15 years and i’ll have this town down pat. 🙂

One thought on “getting there, maybe

  1. i’ve been in lafayette for 7 years now and still have bust out google maps once and awhile. la crosse is going to be annoyinh to learn since i’m so used to the river being on the other side!

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