To put things simply, I will be a New England girl until the day I die.
I have lived in Massachusetts for my whole life, and I plan to stay here. Not to say that I don’t want to travel, but to me, Massachusetts is perfect. I grew up on the Northshore, about 40 minutes from Boston and 1.5 hours from the White Mountains in New Hampshire. I live in a very small town, about a 10 minute drive from the beach. To me, this is perfect. I don’t have to deal with the craziness of touristy summer vacationers, but I still have easy access to anything anyone could want. My neighborhood is always filled with noises of nature, save the occasional lawn mower or kids playing in the pool. But if I want some chaos, all I need to do is hop in my car and drive 7 minutes down Route 1 and I’ll find myself in the hustle and bustle of downtown Newburyport, filled with small businesses inside old brick buildings that line small streets. If I want to hike, I can hop onto 95 or Route 16 and find myself in the White Mountains in just a little over an hour. If I want to spend time in Boston, I can drive in in less than an hour, or take the commuter rail from my town right into North Station.
If you are from Massachusetts, or even New England, you know that there is a Dunkin on every corner. I would not be able to call myself a true New Englander if I did not mention my love and appreciation for the frequency and reliability of Dunkin in Massachusetts. Moreover, all over the Northshore are small coffee shops, many run by families, who make the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.
You may have heard the phrase “if you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes and it will change.” This is very accurate, which is just another reason why I love my home. In one day, I have personally experienced snow, rain, sunshine, 30 degree weather and 60 degree weather. While some might hate that, I love the changes and knowing that just because I wake up to snow does not mean that it determines the rest of my day.
Finally, I love the people. The Northshore is filled with small towns, and each person I encounter carries the typical friendly small town personality with them. I always make an effort to take the time to speak with those people who have lived in the town for their entire lives, and to hear their stories and their love letters to our home.
Wherever my future takes me, I know that my heart will always lie in the North Shore.