@Florence @Notokay

I’m an Army brat and though I came along at the end of my dad’s career, I moved only once while he was active, I caught the bug BIG TIME. 😄
As an adult, I’ve lived in 5 states and still hoping to get back to Europe. I was born in Naples but we were only there for three years. 😭

@see_the_sus @Florence Faculty brat here, then a dual-career academic. 10 states, three other countries.

@Notokay @see_the_sus I had a guardian who was a musician, with whom I went to live when I was six. Spent the nexgt 10/15 years going around the world on tour etc. Then went to Uni, then worked with a job I could move countries a lot (requirement) and so I think I was lucky really, it gave me flexibility and also a famiiarity with 'the different'.

@Florence @see_the_sus Not just familiarity with 'the different', but flexibility of thinking and understanding. And something monocultural (and sometimes provincial) people call "bravery." I moved from one side of the state to another to take a new job and one of my colleagues called me very brave?

@Notokay @see_the_sus I think people fear what they're unfamiliar with. I was home-schooled because of the traveling. By someone who left school at 15 but had intelligence, an inquiring mind and a freedom of spirit and soul. I always think my education, such as it was, was broader than conventional schooling. It gave me an openness to other cultures and ways of life I doubt I'd otherwise have. For which I'm truly grateful.

@Florence @see_the_sus Oh, indubitably. I homeschooled my kids at various points and it was a fabulous adventure.

@Notokay @see_the_sus That's EXACTLY the way I'd describe it. I totally agree.

@Florence @see_the_sus Of course, one of them is now in London doing research for her PhD dissertation, so I don't know if that's exactly a win (given the state of academia right now)!

@Notokay @see_the_sus I'd call it a win!

@Florence @see_the_sus Heh--thanks. I'll keep it in the category of 'education is never wasted' (except in cases like Josh Hawley).

@Notokay @see_the_sus Hah! I think Hawley knows exactly what he's doing which makes it much worse. To me anyway.

@Florence @see_the_sus Oh I agree 100%.

@Notokay @Florence

Exactly! When I moved from CO to NY, I drove and it was fascinating to see how the American freeway system developed as it went further west. And then, once I got ensconced in NY, well, my mind really got dizzy from the differences. 😄

@Notokay @Florence

I too have been called brave. I used to be befuddled and shrug it off but I’ve learned to just say, “Thanks” because 90% of the time the person just doesn’t understand my interest in exploring and that I don’t let the unknown get in my way.

@see_the_sus @Florence Well, I understand being called brave for traveling around the world by oneself (which I also have done), but for moving across the state to take a job? That's just a head-scratcher.

@Notokay @Florence

When I lived in lower-upstate NY & then north Jersey, I met a lot of people who had zero interest in ever leaving the island. Even to just go to Jersey.

@see_the_sus @Florence Ha. It seems endemic in this country, TBH. I've seen the same in people from CA to IA to MA.

@Notokay @Florence

True. I think what it startled me so much about NYC was that A) it's an island and yeah sure it's got a shit ton of things to do but it's the East Coast and you can visit several states in one day! And B) I naively assumed (I was a mere 27) that people there were more cultured and adventurous. Silly me.

@Florence @see_the_sus Another peripatetic childhood and young adulthood here, both international and stateside! My favorite question (not): "Where are you from?"

@Notokay @see_the_sus Mine too! I usually just say, hopefully enigmatically, 'I'm International'. I dislike that question because where we are 'from' varies in meaning from person to person in as much as I still think of NYC as 'home' as I was born there but have spent more time in CA and WY and Chicago. Sometimes I feel more British. With me it varies from day to day!