Thoughts on San Diego and First Things First.

Tuesday, we meet again. I hate Tuesday's more than Monday's, who's with me? Anyways enough hating on days of the week lets talk about how today is our last day living in San Diego, forever. Yesterday Ryan and I had some time to hang out on the beach and it made me really think about everything that has happened for us in San Diego and what we will miss and not miss about this city.

I moved to San Diego in August of 2011 to be live with Ryan, we had been dating a mere five month. We both knew it was the right thing to do for our relationship. But, I was scared, and I know he was too. Though I had known him years, known his background, known him as a dear friend, and dated him five months I was scared we might fail, that I would have to drive back to Iowa broken-hearted. A year and seven months later we are married and moving to Japan, so I guess you could say things worked out!

By far the biggest accomplishment for me living in San Diego was surviving a grueling eight month deployment with hardly and friends, and virtually no family. I have always been an independent, I can do it all girl- but this tested me. During this time I truly developed my love/hate relationship with San Diego.

First of all, if you have never visited San Diego and get the chance to I highly recommend it for a vacation. As most people know the weather is as good as it gets year round..a constant 70 degrees. I didn't miss grey winter days or suffocating Iowa summers.  Christmas time is weird with no snow but thankfully I haven't missed an Iowa Christmas since living here. Something about wearing flip flops year round will always appeal to me, the weather I loved.

The culture. Almost every stereotype you have for California is true, everyone is pretty chill and the living is easy. Nothing moves too fast. Apart from the laid back nature of people the diversity San Diego showed me will forever change me. Being the minority as a white girl in the college classroom was a new experience for me...and nothing I could ever get in Iowa. I was humbled learning about my classmates cultures --ranging from Syrian to Mexican to French and Vietnamese, the conversations and friendships I had with these peers I will never forget. Something about your classmates checking the surf reports during class will always be special to me, the culture I loved.

The culture and weather are what I most loved about San Diego. Many more things including the beaches, shopping, and food I fell in love with as well. So what is there to hate about this place? Not much, except the amount of people. Ryan and I are both "small-town" Iowans and no matter how well traveled we become we will always be most comfortable with less people! We also hate everything that comes alone with more people including traffic, parking, and long lines.

San Diego will always have a special place in my heart. Though Ryan and I never plan on moving back we have talked about how we want to visit again. And we are both sure once Anchorman 2 comes to theaters we will miss San Diego more than ever!

And to finish up this post I am linking up with Halie  for First Things First!

The topics this week are: 1. First breakfast of choice

2. First dessert of choice

3. First beverage of choice

My first breakfast of choice would have to be something involving warm homemade banana bread with a smear of butter. Along side the bread I would take some blonde roast from Starbucks. I'm not a huge breakfast person in general but warm banana bread really gets me out of bed!

My first dessert of choice? An impossible question. But I will share my favorites Chocolate Molten Cake, Cold Stone Creamery's Peanut Butter Cup Perfection Ice Cream, Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, and of course Red Velvet Cake. 

 

My first beverage of choice non-alcoholic would be unsweetened green, black, or acai berry tea! Preferably the Starbucks or Panera brew....I'm addicted. And my first alcoholic beverage of choice is Red Wine...any margarita with Grand Marnier is a close second!

Whew, that's a novel of a post. Over and out!

Ashley