San Francisco Feels Like Home Now
i've lived in san francisco for 14 months.
somewhere in the last few weeks, i noticed: i call it home without thinking. not "my apartment" or "san francisco" but "home."
the signs
- i have favorite boba shops (yes, plural)
- i know which grocery store has what
- i have walking routes i default to
- i recognize faces in my neighborhood
- the fog doesn't bother me anymore (much)
- i give tourists directions
what changed
it wasn't one moment. it was accumulation.
small interactions. familiar faces at places i go often. a routine that feels natural instead of forced.
friends helped. coworkers who became actual friends. people i met through climbing and other activities.
you can't force home. you can only show up enough times that it grows.
sydney vs san francisco
i love both. differently.
sydney: where i became who i am. family. old friends. comfort. the beaches (still better).
san francisco: where i'm becoming who i'll be. career. new friends. growth. the hills.
they're not in competition. they're both mine.
what i've learned about moving
- homesickness fades but doesn't disappear
- new homes don't replace old ones
- community takes time and intentionality
- saying yes to things matters more when you're new
- you have to let go of old routines to build new ones
current state of things
apartment: actually decorated now. feels like me. 17 plants and counting.
friends: a small but real group. we do things regularly.
routine: work, gym, boba runs, walks. it works.
emotional state: content. not always happy, but stable and content.
what surprised me
i thought i'd be counting down until i could go back to sydney.
instead: i'm building a life here. and i like it.
maybe i'll move back someday. maybe i won't. for now, san francisco is right.
gratitude
for anthropic, for bringing me here.
for the people who made space for a transplant.
for the city, fog and all.
went for a walk tonight. familiar streets. familiar shops. home.