What I’ll miss about Akron, OH

2 weeks ago, I had a mini-meltdown and decided to take a bit more time to prepare for Canada. There’s a good chance that my PR application will be approved by the end of the year, at which point I will become a "permanent resident" of Canada. So even though on paper, I'm just visiting, this is actually a permanent expatriation from the life I've grown to know and love. I'm going to Canada. To live.

I was raised in Kent, but my mother grew up nearby in Akron, and most of her family has ended up here (including me); also, most of my Ohio friends are here. But I haven't always been a hometown girl. As a senior in College, my then-boyfriend and I decided to do an exchange year in California. I studied at Humboldt State University, on the foggy redwood coast. After that delicious taste of west coast living, I went back in 2005, this time to northern Idaho. While there, I studied healing arts and my boyfriend studied literature. In 2007, I returned home to pursue my master’s degree at Kent State, and have been here ever since. Aside from the obvious ties of childhood, I've also come into my own here. I became an active member of the UU church, and got my first "real" job as a counselor. It was here that I launched myself as a singer-songwriter and performed at the Kent Stage, the farmer's market, and tons of local coffeeshops. I’ve had the chance to play with seasoned musicians and rub elbows with local celebrities who gave me advice to help me grow. I also have friends who were with me through tough times, staying by me in my weakest moments, and celebrating me in my strongest ones.

Truly, it seems insane to leave here. The thing is, I’ve got this great husband. And he lives in Canada.

So, aside from (obviously) my friends and family, I wanted to share some Ohio-y things that I’ll miss.

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Akronites, we are living in one of the greenest cities that exists, and that is thanks largely to the CNVP (also to Summit MetroParks –Sand Run is literally in my backyard). We have the fortune of saying, “well, I’ve got my mall shopping done, gosh I feel like getting some air…  let me drive 10 minutes the towpath trail, then maybe pop into Szalay's for some farm-fresh corn." This is living! 
•  The Village Discount Thrift Store: I love thrifting. It makes me feel free - free of debt, free of trends, and free from the endless imperative to spend more money. Yay for the "VD"! Even after being exposed to Toronto fashion, I'm pretty sure I'll miss it.
•  Lifesource Yoga and Sacred Ground Yoga: if you’re a yogi and never been to Sacred Ground in the Valley, try it… this guy is spiritual to the core. And Lifesource is more than a great collection of teachers, it's also a welcoming community for young yogis like myself
•  Stan Hywett Hall: I have a soft spot for opulence, and every time I drive up Portage Path, I love seeing Stan Hywett on the right, protected only by an attractive 4-foot-high fence. The Seiberlings were awesome people, who worked to promote literacy, public health, and helped created Alcoholics Anonymous. Stan Hywett is available for tours from April through December. Yay for philanthropy!
•  Gabriel Brothers, Big Lots and Marc's. Enough said. 

I’m sure there’s a ton more, and I haven’t even listed each and every person in this awesome community. (Akron is blessed with a community of nice people with infinite inter-sections. It's been effortlessly easy for me to get hooked into this cozy web!) That's all for now, I've got to work on my transporter so I can be in two places at once. :)