The hierarchy of moving to a new city
I should be an expert on this topic 🙂
When you move to a new city, there are a few experiences you will have over the coming months and years. Each one cements your status as a true resident of that new city. I say this because I experienced one of those moments twice today.
1) You physically move to a new city
2) You change your driver’s license to the new state in which you are living.
3) You file taxes in your new state.
4) You go out somewhere and run into somebody you know.
5) You give someone a store/restaurant recommendation.
6) You buy a house/condo in your new city.
7) A random person on the sidewalk/passing car asks for directions and you direct them correctly.
8 ) Along your travels, you meet somebody visiting your new city and you give them tourist tips.
9) You reminisce about what used to be at a certain location before the current establishment.
10) You are buried in that particular city.
These don’t necessarily happen in order, and they all won’t necessarily happen at all, but each time one happens it cements your place as a resident of your new city. Anyways, today I was headed to dinner at Royal Oak brewery. I was walking from my car to the restaurant when a couple asked me if I knew where Ridley’s Comedy Castle was. Impressively, I led them right to where they needed to go. On the way back to my car, I was walking through a crosswalk when a lady opened her car window and asked where Black Finn was and the closest place to park.  I went two for two.
It reminded me that it was only three years ago that Trevor and I walked out of an Alkaline Trio concert at the Royal Oak music theater. I’d been living in Michigan for 2.5 months and I knew nothing about downtown Royal Oak. We asked random people for bar recommendations until we somehow found ourselves at O’Tooles (ugh) and had a few drinks before heading home.
As far as my hierarchy, I’ve accomplished numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.
