As most may know, northerners tend to flee the brutally cold winters to enjoy warm and sunny south Florida — and I am one of them. I moved to Florida from New York in the Summer of 2016 after I graduated from high school. I’ve loved being in Florida ever since and as much as I love where I’m from, I don’t plan on moving back.
I relocated not only because I could not stand the cold, but because I wanted to explore new territory and try something different. When it is time to go back I forget that I am now adjusted to warm weather, so winters are painful! Being in South Florida for almost three years has been an eye-opening experience. I get to visit new destinations and try new restaurants whenever, but honestly I can’t stand that everything is so FAR from each other. In NY, if you walk down the street you will encounter an array of businesses. Everything was so much more convenient whereas now I feel like everything is a process.
Another one of the most amusing things is when individuals are fascinated by my accent. I never realized I had one until I moved down south because people never fail to point out the way I pronounce certain words. I grew up in lawn-guyland (Long Island) where we end our words in “-awk” and pronounce bacon-egg-and-cheese (a staple NY breakfast that can be found at your local bodega) as one word.
You’d be surprised how many New Yorker’s actually live here in Florida. Every time I meet someone who is from my home state or close to my hometown my heart fills with joy and I think to myself “yay I have met yet another person who I can relate to!” To be honest, Florida might as well be the sixth borough of NYC considering the immense amount of New Yorkers that relocate here every year. I believe there will always be pros and cons no matter where you move, people are never truly satisfied with where they are, but I do plan on making my stay in Florida a long and memorable one!