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a blog by Laura O'Rourke

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I Moved From Florida To Indiana And Never Looked Back

MichaelHeader

How cliché is it for someone to grow up in a place and then measure the entirety of their success by whether or not they got out of town? In particular, at least in movies, it seems this is a big thing in small towns. Well I did it. I said for the longest time I wanted to move away and I did.

I grew up in Florida, destination of so many looking for escape. I actually grew up in Orlando, one of the hottest tourist destinations in the country. I wanted to leave. It wasn’t the city; I liked Orlando. What I didn’t like was the oppressive humidity and tropical temperatures for most of the year.

I hate being hot. In fact, my body hates being hot too. I once fainted in the heat just from standing around. And now I’m on a half dozen medications, all but one of which lists dizziness as a likely side effect.  When I get hot, my anxiety also increases. Plus if you can believe it, it throws my entire digestive system off the rails.

I had to get out of Florida.

I always wanted to move to the pacific northwest. The mild temperatures, the gorgeous views, and the Monday Night Football games that start right when you get home from work. Well my wife wasn’t into that idea because of earthquakes and the fact that all of her family would be across the continent.

After going to school in Florida and living in the panhandle after getting married, my wife needed to look for a new job. We had to get out of Florida. At the time I was a teacher, so I could go anywhere. At the time she was an explosives scientist doing work for the military. Initial job offers came from the DC area and Indiana. Neither of us having been to Indiana, we made a decision. We were moving to Indiana.

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In Indiana, the leaves change color during autumn. It snows enough to have to shovel, but only a few times per winter. The humidity is actually so much lower that the first year we were here we had dry skin.

We couldn’t think of a reason why most people would even want to visit Indiana, but we moved here sight unseen. And we fell in love.

Indiana is our home now. We’ve bought a house and started to build a family.

Sometimes it takes a big risk to shake things up. But really, what were we risking? That we wouldn’t like it? That we wouldn’t have any friends? That’s what keeps people from moving away in the first place. But now, short of about 2 months in summer, I’m not hot. This means we can actually go out and do things. If we hadn’t moved, I wouldn’t have learned I like to camp at state parks. If we hadn’t moved, I wouldn’t have gotten to build my first snowman or go sledding. If we hadn’t moved, I wouldn’t have known I enjoy hiking for no other reason than to hike.

Since moving, I have changed a lot. All for the better, I assure you. And that thing about friends? Well I don’t make friends anywhere I go. But as soon as we bought our house, we started not just having friends, but being the house where the friends came to play board games and eat pizza.

We found success in a move, so if you’re unhappy with where you live, consider finding some place else to live. Maybe a small move puts your closer to work, which in turn gives you more time to spend with your family. Maybe moving across town puts you adjacent to a park and you can finally start exercising. Maybe moving across the country gives you a lower cost of living and the ability to spend more money on what you love.

Any way you look at it, moving is an upheaval. But it doesn’t have to be bad. Sure it’s a royal pain in the butt to move. But moving could be just what you need to change your life.

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  1. I agree – there are many positive things that can come from a move. It is such a big change that brings such potential. It sounds as though your move has worked out perfectly or you and your family!
    Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted..Gobble GobbleMy Profile

      • Michael, is than anymore advice you could give me on moving from FL to IN. My fiancé and I want to relocate to the southern part of Indiana but have no idea where to even begin to finding jobs. It’d be greatly appreciated :)

  2. Ironically, I am about to move from the north to a place that it’s much hotter – at least 8 or 9 month out of the year. But it is a welcome change for me from New Jersey. My sister is in Indiana, and she will vouch that it is not at all hot most of the time! I’m glad you like it there!
    Ilene recently posted..RiseMy Profile

    • I’ve seen your trip on Instagram. I hope you’ve made it and are now working on settling. The only experience I have with Jersey, geographically, is Newark airport. And I refrain from having an opinion until Jersey can show me something better.
      Michael Lombardi recently posted..State Fair TimeMy Profile

    • Thank you so much Jenn. The only thing I really don’t like is the politics. But how few places could I go where that wouldn’t be the case? It’s not conservatism I have a problem with, it’s the close-mindedness from any side of the aisle.
      Michael Lombardi recently posted..Auto Instagram UploadMy Profile

  4. Michael,

    My husband and I moved a lot too in the early years of marriage and then we had kids. We flipped the world upside down to get BACK to Indiana where all of our family was. IT was about being near family, about our children knowing their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, it was about raising our kids with the same mindset and values as us. Granted, I hate the snow ( always have) but I love watching my daughters go tobogganing with my husband and the way their eyes light up on a 60 degree spring day. We’ve lived many places all over the country and while I still LOVE the east coast, there is just something about the midwest that I wanted my children to have as part of their history. Welcome to Indiana!
    Debi recently posted..An Open Letter to Babble.com in Regard to Fertility IssuesMy Profile

    • First off, I love the snow, so you get no sympathy from me on that. :-P Just kidding. I know you get it much worse due to lake effect. We get an awesome amount.

      Second, there is a park around the corner from my house with an awesome hill for sledding. We’ll meet you guys there in early February. ;-)

      My wife had the same issue with family and their proximity. Problem is, I stopped talking to half of my family about a year outta college and hers got divorced and moved while she was in college. My in-laws are now actually closer as they moved to the mountains. It will never be the same for our kid(s) as it was for my wife and I. (I even lived right next door to my grandparents for a few years when I was a kid.) So we make regular road trips. Although, my sister did move in with us two years ago, so AmoebaJr will know her aunt (well 1 of 2) very well. However, with both of our parents divorced and remarried, my kid(s) will know 8 grandparents. :D Well, okay, not 8 because I don’t talk to all of them, but you get the point. ;-)

      Thanks for your comments, Debi. :)
      Michael Lombardi recently posted..Auto Instagram UploadMy Profile