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In my first Instagram post of the year, I said that my plan for 2019 was to keep exploring. Little did I know then that would include leaving Atlanta for good the next month. It’s been 8 months since I moved to Miami because of a job opportunity and I think it’s about time I share with everyone the best about this experience so far. Here’s a short list of those things, in no particular order.
1. MY NEIGHBORHOOD When I found out I was moving to Miami, I made the decision that I needed to find a place to live close to work. I just didn’t want to spend hours sitting in traffic everyday, which unfortunately is something many people have to endure in this town. Therefore, I purposefully only searched for apartments within a couple of miles from my office. I ended up renting a place only 4 blocks away, which translates into a 9-minute daily commute on foot to/from work. Not only that, I have everything I need within a 15-minute walk, including restaurants, shops, grocery stores and pharmacies. And there’s the Metromover (a free, 24/7 transportation unit serving Downtown and surrounding area) for when I feel like venturing out a bit farther away. I am really lucky!
2. THE WEATHER Although there are certainly times when you’ll hear me complaining about the heat (it can be unbearable during the peak of summer), I have to admit life in a place with no winter is definitely much easier. I mean, you basically wear the same type of clothes all year long and the only extra layers you have to worry about is bringing a cardigan or a light jacket along for when the air conditioning may be too cold (e.g. inside Miami International Airport). I totally skipped winter this year and I really didn’t miss it. Of course, in South Florida there’s always the possibility of getting hit by a bad storm during hurricane season, but in that event there’s enough time to prepare for it.
3. MY FAMILY Those of you who are closer to me and my family know that my parents and two of my siblings also live in Miami. Until the beginning of this year, however, I had spent almost all my adult life away from them. This was not something I planned but it was just the path life had taken me on. Now that I’m here I’ve gone from seeing them 2 or 3 times per year to spending time with them pretty much every weekend, something I’m really enjoying and so are they (especially my parents).
4. MY FRIENDS Miami is a very popular destination for many people, whether it’s for work or pleasure, and it also turns out it is where many connect when traveling from different places in the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe to the States (or viceversa). As a result, I’ve met up with at least a couple of friends per month for breakfast, lunch or dinner during a work trip, vacation or weekend getaway, or even during a layover. I’ve seen more friends from abroad during the 8 months I’ve been in Miami than in the almost 10 years I lived in Atlanta! And on top of that, I get to hang out once in a while with good old friends I’ve known since my college years at FIU.
5. MY TIME It’s quite simple: since I live close to work, I don’t have a crazy-long commute, which means I have more time to sleep and to do other things, such as practicing yoga in the morning, taking a stroll in the evening or to just chill in my balcony taking in the view. By the way, sunrises and sunsets are just remarkably beautiful here, so having the time to enjoy them is something I’m really grateful for. I don’t think I need to elaborate any more on this, all I have to say is my life quality is just better!
I guess, considering how reluctant I was to move to Miami, this town hasn’t treated me that badly, huh? They must be right when they say sometimes you just need to let go for good things to happen.