Introduction to Friday Fun Day

I like to post on a regular basis and with regular themes. I have Motivational Monday, Small Business Wednesday, and I've struggled with Friday. I'd love to have a Friday Fun day, but really what does that mean when trying to discuss personal growth, goal setting, and small business? I'm sure I could fill it with something meaningful, I just haven't found anything as of yet.

Talking to one of my sons this last week, he pointed out that my life these last eight months have been brave in and of itself. I hadn't really thought about it like that. Sometimes, eyes from outside the process are needed for clarity. He definitely gave me clarity.

So, today is the introduction. Each Friday, you'll get to see a little bit of our journey so far. Hopefully, it will fill the bill of Friday Fun day. I hope that you will be able to see the beautiful sites we've seen, but also experience the highs and lows of a person born and raised in Wisconsin moving to a very different world - California.

Here's the story.

Having lived my entire life in Wisconsin, I was about to embark on a journey. It was, and sometimes still is, a little scary. This journey would take me from beautiful, but often cold, Wisconsin to warm and sunny California.

At the end of May, my husband and I packed up his Jeep and my Toyota with as much stuff as we could fit in them. Luckily three of our children were going to continue living in our home, so we had someplace to store whatever didn't fit into the vehicles. We loaded the Toyota on a car trailer and hitched it to the Jeep and we were off. After 36 grueling hours, we made it to Ventura, California.

Eventually, we made our way up from Ventura to Santa Maria, California. The Central Coast has been our home away from home for a bit now. I make it sound easy, but it wasn't. There were bumps - some small and many big - along the way as well as some beautiful sites. But, that is another story for another day.

As Paul Harvey would say, you'll have to return on Friday for the Rest of the Story.

Thankful that I don't belong

I grew up in a homogeneous town in Wisconsin. Most of the people surrounding me looked like me, talked like me, were able bodied like me, ate the foods I did, and believed in the same God I did. After high school graduation, I moved to a bigger city and although my friend and acquaintance circle was starting to gather some that didn't look as much like me or believe in the same God as me or eat the same food as me, for the most part I was still living a pretty homogeneous life. I met and fell in love with a man that didn't look like me.

Through the years of living in a diverse home we've had some ups and downs; we've even had some unpleasant conversations. It made me think about those deep rooted opinions and beliefs that I carried from childhood into adulthood. Communication hasn't always easy been as easy as it may have been in a homogeneous house. Yet, despite the differences in our home and the differences of how the world treated me and how it treated the rest of my family (husband and now four children) I still had a sense of where I belonged.

I started diversity discussions to help both myself and the community around me understand our changing world. I've had conversations with friends and family about diversity - some of which did not turn out so hot. I began writing diversity articles for the local alternative newspaper. Although I was pointing out all the differences around me, I still had a sense of where I belonged.

After raising our children, my husband and I made the decision to move to California to spend more time with his daughter and grand-children. We settled in Santa Maria, CA. Santa Maria is a city of just under 150,000 people on the Central Coast of California. The demographics pulled from the U.S. Census show a city much different than any I've lived in before. The first column shows the percentage of the population in Santa Maria, CA that fit into the assigned racial group and the second column shows that same racial group as represented throughout California as a whole.

	Black or African American alone, percent, 2010 (a)	1.7%	6.2%
	American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent, 2010 (a)	1.8%	1.0%
	Asian alone, percent, 2010 (a)	5.1%	13.0%
	Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent, 2010 (a)	0.2%	0.4%
	Two or More Races, percent, 2010	5.1%	4.9%
	Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2010 (b)	70.4%	37.6%
	White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2010	21.7%	40.1%

I live in a city where 70.4% of the people are not from my culture; where it is obvious that most are not comfortable speaking my language. Where the food I am most used to eating isn't a commonplace --- no Culver's, Chicago Polish Sausage, bratwurst, no Friday night fish frys, or no cheese straight from the factory. 

For the first time in my life, I realize that I don't really belong; I realize that I need to actually work at belonging. I may need to learn another language and I may need to learn to eat some other foods in order to belong. The point is that I won't belong unless I do something different. Although I have been involved in diversity activities of all sorts for quite some time, I realized it didn't adequately prepare me for living in a city where a vast majority of people are different from me.

I'm grateful that I've had the ability to talk about diversity. Now, I'm very grateful that I have the opportunity to see from the inside out what it is like to live in an area where I am the minority. I'm grateful that I have met some people who have helped me navigate this different terrain; are willing to explain what a food is or where to find the best bargains or how to basically communicate to others. Above all, I'm grateful that for this season of my life I am living as the minority. It is teaching me humility, it is giving me a different perspective of life, it is allowing me to see how my actions and those from my community may negatively affect others without us even knowing.

Slowly I am learning how to belong.

The greatest lunch spot!

It's been a few months since we moved to California. The trek across the nation from Wisconsin has definitely been an adventure. We've settled down in a city on the Central Coast; basically the coastal areas comprised of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. There have been a lot of things to get used to. I mean California is very different from Wisconsin.

First, housing is expensive! Luckily we are in a metropolitan area that isn't considered luxurious - I couldn't imagine what we'd be paying in rent if we were a little south or north of where we are.

Second, the food is definitely not midwestern. There isn't a Culver's in sight. Friday night fish fry - they have no clue. The phrase "cheese curds" are received with a very confused look. However, the Mexican and Asian food here is off the charts!

Third, the life style is a bit laid back. For some, that may be a good thing; for someone with no patience - not so much. This is especially true at my workplace - meetings start at :05 of the hour, not :00 - even if that was the schedule time.

But, then I have days like today. It is November 17th. Typically, a cold day at the start of a long winter in Wisconsin. Going outside requires a coat, maybe a hat and gloves, and probably warming the car for a little bit. Here on the Central Coast it means going to work with a bit of a chill in the air - sweater weather - and having temps rise to the high 60's throughout the day.

Lunch is one of my favorite times of the work day. This was my lunch spot for today.  It was beautiful! Some of the trees are turning colors, the sun is shining bright, the birds are out, the grass is green and there is no hint of snow.

This is the Central Coast.  This is why people, us included, are willing to put up with some not-so-great stuff. On days like today - it is worth it.

It rained!

Yes, it rained! This isn't something that happens often in Santa Maria and definitely has been lacking the last few years - thus the legendary drought. But, when it does rain we have front row seats to the most beautiful skies I've ever seen.

Enjoy the sights.