One of the most common questions I get is why I didn’t go home to NYC and chose to stay in Reno. It’s hard to understand unless you are not related to me, you know me really well and you’re like me. Even though I grew up in NYC, one of the busiest cities ever, I always felt like a black sheep. Don’t get me wrong, I fit in well, and if you see me in my native environment you’d never guess that I didn’t want to be there. I think what kept me in NYC as long as I stayed was my family. Most of them are there, so it’s easy to depend on the cushion they provide. My parents are there, and so is my brother. It certainly didn’t hurt that I had friends there. Not only friends from high school, but a lot of my good college friends moved to NYC after school. So it made sense for me to move back after school.
However, I always felt like something was missing. I wanted to move. Badly. I knew there was more beyond what I had seen so far. A combination of things and a series of events landed me in Reno in May 2010. And for once, I fell deeply in love with where I lived.
Reno is perfect if you like the outdoors. The landscape is utterly breathtaking. Also if you like animals and wildlife. The summers here are dry, warm and sunny; perfect for all water sports, running, hiking, camping, etc. On the other side, the winters are mild, but cold enough for snow. We’re right by Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada’s, so skiing is huge here.
I had just taken up snowboarding and realized that Reno is great for year-round sports, not just in the summer. If you like animals, they are certainly abundant here. Here you can see rabbits, deer, quail, coyotes, snakes and even bears and mountain lions. If you’re from a place where wildlife is common, you may say “so what?” but I’m from NYC. Where I come from we mostly see pigeons and rats, which are essentially the same. You consider yourself lucky if you see something else, like a dog. Reno is different. Owning horses is really common here, so that caters to my likes, and everyone has a pet.
Because I loved the city and felt at home immediately, my social butterfly self made friends in no time. Within a matter of months, I had countless friends, mostly from RRF. I got really close to some of them, and really cherish their friendship now. Those people should know who they are, but I think you’ll be able to figure it out from this blog. Soon, I had the same or more friends as I did back home. But the friendships I made were young, and they would soon be put to the ultimate test.
Most people in Reno are not from Reno. Since there are so many transplants, everyone tends to have things in common. We all moved here for different reasons, but have ended up staying for the same reason: The landscape is amazing and Reno is what you make of it, if you like the outdoors.
I’m sure the doctors in NYC are better than they are in Reno. At the very least, there’s more variety. But I figured the worst was already over; what I needed the most medical attention for has already passed. Being in Reno helps me feel more like myself. I like it here better, plain and simple.
I may not stay in Reno, but I know for sure I want to stay out west. Who knows what will happen; I will decide when the time comes.
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