Tuesday, August 17, 2010

I Don’t Hate Indiana (We just have issues with each other)


Some people might assume that I hate Indiana. Let me start over. Pretty much everyone would assume from what I’ve written that I loathe Indiana and view it as a giant black hole that sucks the life out of all who remain in its grasp. This is understandable, since while I do write nice things about parts of it, I also have a manic drive to escape as soon as possible.

However, this does not mean that I hate Indiana. I have a lot of fondness for the state, even with its many, many, many flaws. Recently, I’ve run in to some individuals that use “midwestern” as an insult and generally look down upon my area of the country. It’s incredibly irritating and frustrating, and makes me stand up and defend my home even when I’m planning my departure. I really do wish I could stay in Indiana at least part of the year, but since Nicole or I have yet to win the lottery, that dream isn’t possible.

The reasons I want to leave are varied, and none are truly founded in “hatred.” Small things like the weather (my hometown actually has a higher record high than Orlando) definitely contribute to the decision. There are larger issues too, like the general culture of the area. I don’t exactly “fit in” anywhere, but I stick out like a sore thumb in Indiana, where Nicole and a few others are about the only people that can really understand my thought process.

The biggest reason, though, is that Nicole and I were born, raised, and educated here, and we’ve never truly escaped. One of the times I’ve been happiest was during my two month internship in London, and a lot of that was because I was living something new, totally alien from rural Indiana. Nicole hasn’t even had that opportunity, and she grows more weary of this place by the day. Change is life, stagnation is death, and I feel dead most mornings when I wake anymore.

In summary, I have issues with Indiana, but I love it just the same, and I will miss it some, too. I will also defend it when people unfairly insult my home state. At the same time, I need to take this new step in my life before I lose the chance forever. Plus, I’ll get to visit Disney World a lot, but that’s a just assumed at this point.

------------Gabe

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