As so many Marylanders will attest to, the Chesapeake Bay is a part of us, we by and large live in diversity, seafood is our bread and water, and we bleed Old Bay. Maryland is my home state, but I don't think that is the reason I love it. I have seen many other parts of the US, and many other parts of the world for that matter, but I think Maryland is something special.
| I will miss blue crabs like I will miss toilet paper, but I am OK with giving the Redskins a few seasons to get their act together without me... |
Of course there is a downside, there always is. The traffic really really sucks - but that is only because so many folks like living in this tiny state. We freak out in the snow - probably symptomatic of our North State/South State schizophrenia.
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| Beltway traffic suuhuhuhuhcks...this is a typical evening commute for me... |
I love that I know all the back roads (though Kate would probably tell you I know substantially fewer than I think I know), all the best places for virtually any cuisine, the weather (like 10 months out of the year), and the ability to get to either the city, mountains, beach, or beautiful countryside in about 1-2 hours. The other day we had a beautiful 75 degree weekend day in February that is the kind of day that promises of Spring, lingering days outdoors, and a general feeling of freshness and happiness. When we were thinking about all the things we could do with such a gift of a day, the possibilities were pretty much limitless - hiking at the mountain near our house (about 20 minutes away), down to the inner harbors of Annapolis or Baltimore (each about an hour away), into the beautiful town of Frederick where Kate and I got married and where we now often go for a great meal and beautiful walks (45 minutes away), or into downtown DC for some culture, shopping and some of the best restaurants on the East Coast (30 minutes away). This is not an exhaustive list by any means, just a select few of some of our favorite activities.
From what I know about the Peace Corps, having a basic routine seems like an essential part of life. Knowing where to go in the mornings, taking the same route to work, eating many of the same types of food (rice) ad nauseam. In many ways, these routines will mirror the lives of those we are helping and serving. While the life I live in the PC will be totally different than my day-to-day in Maryland, there will be some parts of my life there that will seem repetitive after some time.
When those days come, I know that I will be longing for a hike up Sugarloaf,
or a huge plate of BBQ from Black Hog,
or a movie at the Silver Theater,
or sushi at one of my all-time favorite restaurants followed by a walk around the Annapolis Inner Harbor.
I am overwhelmingly excited for the HUGE change that the PC will be, but I also know that I will always miss home.
Missing "home" is kind of a no-brainer, but I am wondering what current and past volunteers missed about home that really surprised them?
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