Why I'm Leaving Oregon for Connecticut

I’ve been thinking about this blog for some time, ever since I learned what I’ll be doing after graduation.

Now is the time to announce to you, dear reader, that I will be moving to Connecticut as a member of Teach for America. After a summer training program in Queens, I’ll teach in a low-income community in that tiny state between New York and Massachusetts.

Courtesy of Google. Thank you, Google.

First off, you may be wondering, WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! I wish I could tell you. I probably have more questions than you do, and I’m the one who’s been reading voraciously about it. That being said, I know collective minds are better than just mine, so I’m asking you all for a favor. I’ve logged a list of questions that I want answered. They concern my future, so please take this blog seriously. You know I will.

- First question: Who is going to pick me up from the airport? I’ve never flown to a place where I know nobody.
- Will I run into Kemba Walker at the grocery store? He led the University of Connecticut Huskies to a basketball championship, and I would like to meet him.
- Are there huskies in Connecticut? Every time I leave my house here in Oregon, I worry about a puma attack, so I would like to know if a similar threat exists over there.
- What is the state flower, nickname, bird, and tree? Do they even have flowers over there? and trees?
- How in the world am I supposed to watch Laker games if they tip at 10:30 p.m.?! Eastern time is ridiculous.
- Who will take care of my beloved Lola? She and I have been together for six years of highs and lows, laughs and tears. I truly love that car.
- Do they have hamburgers in Connecticut?
- Will I be able to discern any difference between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans just by looking at the water? Will I be able to see Spain from the beach?
- Will people laugh at me because I look Oregonian? Do I look Oregonian?
- Will people finally stop giving me a hard time because I love Tom Brady’s hair?
- I’m really worried about the tree thing. Is there paper over there? How do people breathe if there aren’t any trees?
- Will I be a Connecticutan? Connecticutian? Connecticutor? Connecticutty?
- Will my friends remember what I look like? Will my family remember my name?
- Have Connecticutties even heard of Oregon?
- Is the state considered part of Canada? Will I still be on the North American continent?
- Who the heck is the president over there?
- If there’s no trees, how do people make lemonade? They probably don’t know the phrase, if life hands you lemons… Their phrase is probably something like, if life hands you huskies, you have to fight a husky.
- You know that brand of tea, Far East or something? Is that made in Connecticut?
- Do I have a shot at dating a Gilmore girl? Either one will suffice.
- No trees means no fires which means no s’mores, right? Yes? Nuts.

I considered getting sappy for this blog, but I’m going to save that for a later date. Instead I’ll pose one final question: How did I get so old?

Like squeezing a fistful of sand, college is slipping right through my fingers.