We were feeling alone and scared that evening. Our GPS had guided us to the extended stay motel that was to be our temporary headquarters for several weeks. But the place turned out to not meet our needs, and appeared to be in a questionable part of town. We re-grouped, looked at a couple of other options, and pitched our nomadic tent at a La Quinta hotel. Still not sure if we had ended up in a sketchy part of town, we drove around to establish where we were. The traffic in this metropolis (unlike that of the sleepy Fox Valley) was overwhelming to us. We had never been to Charlotte, and we had nobody here to greet us. We were strangers here, and our spirits were very low as night fell. The hotel, though comfortable, turned out to be a poor financial arrangement for us, and we felt pressure to begin a search for an apartment.
There may have been some regret tapping on our hearts that night when we recalled that just three weeks prior to our arrival, we were sleeping comfortably in our own bed, in a familiar home with all of our familiar things arranged in a manner to which we were comfortably accustomed. In a few short weeks, we sold our comfortable home and sold most of our familiar possessions. But any regret that we felt couldn't get a hold on our hearts because we left all that for a reason, or a series of reasons--a collection of motivational factors that brought us to Charlotte (ahh--the answer to the question!) Still, we felt depressed that first night, as well as several nights after, as one by one, we took the steps to establish a new life in a new part of the world.
We loved Neenah and the Fox Valley area. The people are great there, and there's a small-town feel to it, with strong family values. I alluded to traffic, and I know I'll miss the easy flow of vehicles in the Fox Valley, which is nothing compared to other places where we have lived: Houston, Dallas, Portland, the I-5 Corridor, and now Charlotte. We were close to family in Wisconsin, too, and it will hurt to be far from them. So, why did we move?
Motivating Factors
- Financial: Our home had a hefty tax burden each month, and our income wasn't able to keep up with our expenses. We needed more affordable housing.
- Climatic: We were tired of the cold. Dealing with many months of snow and ice each year motivated us to seek out a warmer climate.
- Occupational: Although I was working with a fantastic team of people in my job, it was time for a change. The first two motivating factors provided an opportunity for this third one.
Retirement on the Horizon? Charlotte wasn't our first choice as a final destination. Before we decided on Charlotte, there was a long list of other options, including retirement abroad. Portugal, Spain, and Guatemala were on that list. When we considered the steps needed to establish a life overseas, we elected to make plans for extended yearly visits to those locales, living the remainder of the year in a country whose ways are more familiar to us. Stateside options included Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and cities in Florida. Charlotte won. Hopefully, the extended travel part of our dream will be possible. For now, I'm seeking full-time employment here, but in a year, I may elect to take early Social Security payments and work part time, perhaps on a freelance basis. We'll see.
Maria and I prayed every day for guidance and wisdom in taking each step along the way, and continue to do so. That's the real answer to how we got here! My mom gave some good advice to us after hearing the sad, depressed tone in my voice when I spoke to her on the phone that first night in Charlotte. "You just got there. It will all work out in time." I knew she was right, but it was still a painful, scary moment in our lives, and her encouraging words were very much appreciated.
Here we are, two weeks later. We found a nice apartment and we're waiting for the remaining household items to arrive from storage in Neenah. We have more steps to take, though: new driver's licenses, plates, and insurance, find a place to live on a more permanent basis, get a job, new cell phones, and find a new church home. It's all good though. We've discovered that people here are very polite and very friendly. They've welcomed us to this big city with their small-town friendliness and courtesy. Charlotte is diverse, with people of many backgrounds living and working together. I like that. And I think we'll like it here.