I’ve been up in Boston for almost a month and a half now, and there are so many things that make me go, “I missed that!” While I did make frequent trips up to New England for the 5 years I lived in Nashville, it’s not quite the same thing.
1. The weather – I don’t do heat. I. Don’t. Do. It. True story – I used to get heat rash. When it was in the high 80s. July was my 6th summer in Nashville and I still couldn’t handle it.
2. The leaves – There’s good foliage in Nashville for like half a second and it’s at the end of October. Some are starting to change here and it’s great because there will be awesome leaves for like two months. So psyched.
3. Fenway – The Mother Church. Even though I haven’t been to a game since I got back (and probably won’t go again until next year), I get to drive and walk by it on a regular basis and I get such a happy thrill every time I do because LOOK. FENWAY. *heart eye emoji*
4. Pats Games – They’re actually on TV up here. I would be able to watch probably one third of the entire season down south. And only if they were playing someone that had a big demographic in the area or were one of the big nationally-televised games that week. You know how sometimes at the end of a game the announcers will talk about the next one but they’re like, “And depending on where you are it will be one of these three games. Check your local listings.”? Yeah. I regularly lost the football-watching lottery with that one.
5. The history – There are many parts of the south that have history dating back to the early 19th century. But up here in New England, it dates way beyond that. I went through a T station last week that was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798. The Declaration of Independence was read there in 1776. How awesome is that?
6. The sea – This is going to sound to corny and cheesy and you’re going to roll your eyes at me but my soul is fed by the sea. Is that weird? Don’t care. What I’m trying to say (in very stuffy/poetic language) is that I have this amazing feeling that I just can’t explain when I am near the ocean. And when you can’t go to the ocean for months at a time, that makes me feel very suffocated.
7. The clothes – This kind of relates to the weather, and isn’t really related to last-week’s rant about preppy clothes. Remember how I said that I don’t do heat? Well that means that I never completely figured out how to dress for the heat. As in, dress so that a) I’m comfortable and b) I still look pulled together. Layers? Now that’s my jam.
8. SEAFOOD – I kept this separate from #6 because this has nothing to do with my poetic soul connection to the ocean. I never completely trusted seafood from Nashville. I feel much better knowing that the food I’m eating today was caught yesterday by someone locally. And obviously there are plenty of times where there’s no way that I can eat fish caught locally recently. But I grew up outside of Portland, Maine. You could be sitting in a restaurant in Portland, order fish for dinner, and look out the window and see the boat that caught your fish.
9. The language – Okay. So, there are some difference between how people from New England and the south sound. These are small differences. See, I talk on the faster side. These things make it a little more difficult for other people to understand what I’m saying. In New England, that is not a regular occurrence. In Nashville, it was.
10. My family and friends – Obviously this had to be on the list! The vast majority of my family and friends from high school are within a couple hours drive of me in right now in any direction. And I’m even lucky enough to have some friends I made while in school in Nashville be up here in Boston with me for at least the next year or more. And that’s pretty great.
Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.
Soooo envious that you get to live amongst such incredible history! That was my favorite thing about visiting Boston when I was little. Also sorry but I'm still bitter about when the Pats beat my Chargers in the playoffs a couple years back haha. That was supposed to be the year the Chargers finally went to the Superbowl ok!?!!?!
I can definitely relate to your feelings about being near the ocean and how it feeds your soul. I'm from New Jersey and I went to college in Pennsylvania. Every time I came home for breaks I would go to the beach; no matter what time of year to feel the sea breeze and hear the waves. I don't even know how to explain how it makes me feel but I know you understand.
I LOVE New England. Boston has got to be my favorite city. I have family all throughout NE, so I love going up to visit, although that usually isn't often and for only a few days. I'm going there next month (can't wait!) and might go to a Pat's game (my dream- even though I live in FL, my dad is from RI, so I grew up a Boston/NE sports lover). I would love suggestions for amazing places to eat or cool things to do while I'm up there? (maybe a good post idea if you haven't done a post like that before?) I love your blog and this post!