Dream Home

It feels so good to be home after being gone for 5 days for a teaching conference. And the coolest part about it was on the drive home actually realizing that this little town and our little apartment is finally feeling like HOME. Having spent time in Orlando, my old home, I now realize that I don't miss it all that much. The hubby and I have set up our lives in this small rural community, and I finally feel like it is us and this is where we are meant to be. I wish I was better at putting it into words exactly what this shift in thinking feels like, but I don't think I'd do it justice.

So, I figured I'd wrap up this week with another Thirty Things post. For this topic, I'll be answering...

#19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

How fitting, right?
Initially I thought about all the exotic places around the world that I would love to live. Europe. The Caribbean. Austrailia. But then I realized a couple things. First of all, I'm really crummy at learning a new language, so I'd have to go somewhere where English is the primary language spoken. Secondly, I'd eventually miss my family too  much, and plane tickets are expensive, so I needed to shift my focus somewhere stateside.

And then it hit me... North Carolina. I actually thought about moving to North Carolina for college back when I was in high school. Then I realized how much out-of-state tuition cost and I decided against the idea. But North Carolina is a place both the hubby and I have talked about living in. Ideally, we'd love to purchase a home up there and turn it into a vaction rental. But that obviously is way down the road from where we are now.

We've been to North Carolina twice now as a couple. Once to a summer camp in Andrews after our senior year in high school. And most recently on a trip in 2010 with a group of friends to Maggie Valley.

But why North Carolina? Mountains. Coastline. Rivers. Seasons (the seasons here in Florida are Hot, Hurricane, Rainy, and Humid). And it's not too far from either of our families. I've always loved living in the South. Although Florida is probably the most northern southern state thanks to all of the snowbirds. And I love the tradition that is down here. It's definitely where I want to raise a family.

I think the biggest bonus to the state is that it offers so many outdoor activities. Hiking. Biking. Kayaking. White water rafting. We've both been white water rafting down the Nantahala before with a summer camp, and we'd LOVE to do it again.

I think what I would look forward to the most is scuba diving and exploring all of the ship wreckage off of the Carolina Coastline. Ever since we went scuba diving on our honeymoon, we've been looking for an excuse to go again. The hubby and I can't wait until we can afford to be scuba certified. I know the beach and the mountains, for the most part, are on opposite sides of the state, but I don't care. Just the fact that one state can offer so much is exciting.

Dan after our scuba diving trip in the Caribbean

But probably the biggest selling feature of the entire state is the fact that it is simply beautiful! I mean, check out the scenery!

  from google images

from google images 

Seriously. Who wouldn't want to wake up every morning to a porch view like that? But in all honesty, I think that as long as I'm with my husband and our little family, I'm going to be happy no matter where we set down our roots. Realizing that on the way home today has given me so much comfort.

Now its your turn. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?