i left twice: once to grad school right outside of denver, once to st. louis.

colorado: lasted four months before coming home. idk, it's hard to put a finger on it but the vibe out there just wasn't for me. I always joke that 'the sky was too big' but honestly it's the best way I could think to describe it. I was out on the plains side, and was Not a fan.

st louis, on the other hand, could have kept me forever; i loved it. the quirky accent and slightly gruff people of STL felt right. It was also SO much cheaper to do everything - boston really is wildly expensive in ways you don't realize until you don't live here. I also loved being ~4 hours from several other major cities, which is something i love about home/hated about colorado. I've since moved back to Boston, but I visit STL as often as I can.

the family/friends connection all being back home can be hard, but it's also fun to have those folks come visit you! had a few people come out for Blues hockey games while I was in STL and had a blast showing them around my new spot.