I moved from Connecticut to California. I loved it, but felt so relieved when I returned to New England years later.

There are a lot of things in California I miss — the beautiful and diverse landscape, the low humidity (especially in the summer), the major attractions (I was about 30 minutes from Disneyland), the rich variety of cultures, the food, and my friends.

California became our home in the years we lived there, and I still feel like we barely scratched the surface of all the state has to offer.

So, if opportunity knocks, I’m very open to heading back west.

In the meantime, however, I’m very happy with my decision to return to Connecticut. The slower pace, relative affordability, and proximity to our families have been huge gains since moving back.

And if I do find myself back in California one day, I will be making the trek back to New England every fall.