When I first arrived to Pittsburgh more than 2 years ago, I was naïve, bright-eyed and bushy tailed. I was leaving a place that offered little to me and embarking a journey to really seek what I wanted to do. And Pittsburgh was a city that was different to me—my first chance at real independence, connecting with people, and interestingly a self-discovery.

At first, the fact that the environment was so different from my comfort zone made me dislike it. I admit there were a few times that I wanted to quit the graduate program and return to the Bay Area—burying my head in my down feather blanket in the room I grew up in.

Quite often though, what hurts and wounds you the most is what you start missing when the pain stops. And at some point, it’s no longer pain. It’s not sadistic. But you find a way to defend yourself against the pain. It’s like you used to get attacked, but now you know how to defend yourself.

So I’ll be back in the ‘burgh soon. For a somewhat selfish fantasy (yay go groundhogs!). And as I used to say, I will most likely love it for what it was not for what it is.

Of course though, I’ll hate it the moment I’ll have to spend a lot of time in 10 degree weather.