Growing up, I heard about people uprooting themselves and making drastic changes in their lives. I never imagined it would be something I would find myself doing at some point in my life. It's not like me to put myself in a situation that takes me out of my comfort zone, and not only away from family and friends, but also away from a climate that is predictable for me. However, in getting to know my family of origin after finding out where they lived, I did everything I could to adjust to my new life with my husband and daughter. I deal with missing the family and friends I left behind and learn to deal with the humidity in the summer, the sub-zero winters, and the pollen-filled springs. New Jersey is also culturally diverse for me, and even after eight years, I'm still struggling to figure out where I fit in as a Jersey Girl. I never doubted that moving to New Jersey would make me miss the family and friends I had. grew up with. I have a stepmother and four stepbrothers that I left behind when I moved to the East Coast. Being so far away, I feel like I'm missing out on so many important events that happened in their lives. Sometimes it's not enough to talk to my California family on the phone or on Facebook about what's going on in their lives. I would love the experience of being there to see them face to face. I also have to consider my husband, who left an elderly mother along with three brothers and a sister to move to New Jersey with me. Moving to the East Coast was a huge sacrifice for him in so many ways. There are times I feel guilty that we don't have the finances to allow him to visit his family more often. I also miss my old job working regularly for Mattel as a kid... mid-paper... in California. I've made some friends and gotten closer to my family of origin, but sometimes I still feel like I'm alone. I remember a conversation a colleague and friend had with me. He spent a few years in New York and told me the East Coast wasn't the right place for me. He said I wouldn't be happy here and that I would end up wanting to move back to Los Angeles. The point is that moving to a new area is challenging and affects all aspects of people's lives. It's something they have to think long and hard about before taking that actual step. I have no regrets about moving to New Jersey. I use my experience to guide others when they are having difficulty choosing to move on their own. I am now able to laugh at most of my experiences and say that moving to New Jersey changed my life in positive and negative ways..