Jason... from Georgia.

Had an interesting encounter at the gym today.

One of the things that I really took away from my travel across the country was the idea that things are so very different, yet the same. The entire time driving and stopping across various locations, I could never quite put my finger on what seemed different to me. I couldn't tell if it was the idea of being a large distance away from home, or if it was the nature of the surrounding area... but something always felt different to me. It didn't feel wrong, and I was never uncomfortable, but the entire time I was always slightly out of my element.

I think a large part of that was the fact that I kept expecting to see something so radically different from what I was used to that it would change my life forever. And really, I never saw anything life-changing. I saw many historical landmarks and icons - (Sears Tower, St Louis Arch, Rockies, Vegas) - but what most intrigued me was the character of people that I met across the way.

Many of the people I met were radically different in political or social views, yet I was constantly aware of the idea that we were all American. And almost all of those people were enormously jealous that I was getting the chance to travel across the country. The majority of people I spoke with in Ohio had never been as far as Los Angeles, or Boston, or New York, or even Chicago. Just as I had been my entire life until now, they had been sheltered in their surroundings as well. And their surrounding was home to them. As Boston and New England were home to me.

The entire time I've spent in Los Angeles has been wonderful, for the most part. I really can't complain. Still, I find myself missing my family and friends and girlfriend constantly. It's not that I don't have friends out here - many of my good friends from school traveled out this semester. And it's not really even the fact that I haven't seen my family.

The reality of the situation is that the entire time I was in Boston, I probably saw them just as much as I do now... and communicated far less. Yet I think the literal physical distance is what I can't escape from in the back of my head. I know that New England is home, and I know that New England is far away. Ultimately, I will return there. In fact, ideally, I'll live there again in the immediate and forseeable future. The job market may dictate something different, but not if I have my choice.

Anywho, so I've had all these things in mind, and today I met somebody new at the Oakwoods while I was at the gym. His name is also Jason, and he is from Southern Georgia. He is what you would stereotype someone from Georgia to be... very pale, heavy accent, enormously friendly and talkative. I asked him about his home, and he described it as this: "there's maybe three stop lights in the whole town," meaning, I'm sure, that it's a very small area.

He told me how he disliked his home considerably. Though his family and friends were back in Georgia, he didn't want to grow old there. And for some reason that resonated strangely with me, because more and more I'm finding that I do want to grow old back where I come from.

The irony, I think is that he shared my name, as well. He mentioned how much he loved L.A., all the things he was doing.

"The girls out here are real pretty. I love going to the clubs, it's all a new experience to me. They don't have this in Georgia."

And I thought, 'they don't have this in Massachusetts either, but it really doesn't appeal to me.'

I've already mentioned once or twice my fondness for home and how lucky I am to have a family who loves and cares so much for me, and vice-versa. The longer I stay away from them, the less time I spend with them throughout my life. And though I'm cherishing this experience, I really can't wait to get back.