I was living in Louisiana, feeling miserable in my postgrad 9-to-5, when I saw a LinkedIn post that changed my life: an application to become a flight attendant.
The job sounded thrilling, and if I got it, I knew the airline would decide where I’d live next. Luckily, I was ready for a change.
Although I loved Louisiana, the idea of potentially moving across the country sounded exhilarating. So, I applied, got accepted into my training program, and not-so-patiently waited for my airline to tell me where I was going.
Less than two weeks before I was supposed to leave for training, I got the news that I was going to be based in Hartford, Connecticut. I freaked out and called my friends in tears.
I’d never even been to Connecticut, and as someone who grew up in the South, I could already picture myself being miserable in the cold, snowy New England winters. I also couldn’t imagine there was much to do in such a small state I’d heard little about.
It wasn’t my top choice — I’d wanted a base with year-round warm weather — but assignments can just come down to an airline’s staffing needs at the time. After a day or so, I calmed down and began warming up to my fate.
“If nothing else, it’ll be an adventure,” I kept telling myself. I never imagined how well the placement could’ve worked out for me.
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Hartford and New England in general
I arrived in Hartford in October, during the peak of New England’s fall foliage season.
Immediately, I was blown away by how pretty it was outside with all of the bright-yellow, red, and orange leaves. I realized I’d never lived somewhere with real, distinct seasons before.
Even when the weather got colder, living here wasn’t as bad as I expected. Since New England is equipped to deal with the cold and I had bought a new warmer wardrobe, I actually thought the winter felt more bearable in some ways than it was in the South.
Even now, I love the variety we get with our seasons. Winter is my least favorite, but everything blooms beautifully in the spring.
Summer in New England is wonderfully charming, and of course, the fall leaves are my favorite. Their beauty never gets old.
I was so disappointed when I got my assignment that I also didn’t realize just how exciting it would be to go from living in small towns to a real city.
I’d spent the first 18 years of my life in a town in Texas so small it didn’t even have a stoplight, and the next four in my Louisiana college town of 18,000 people. By contrast, Hartford has a population of over 100,000.
I’d never lived in a walkable area, but now, I could step straight out of my apartment and go on a stroll through Hartford’s downtown shops and restaurants.
It sounds mundane, but I even found it fun getting to shop at big chains like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for the first time and make them regular parts of my routine.
I’ve never run out of things to see and do here
My worries about running out of things to do were unfounded, too.
Once I began researching what there was to see and do in this tiny state on Instagram and TikTok, I found tons of options, including local festivals, museums, and beaches.
Some of my favorite local adventures I’ve been on include visiting my first cider mill, exploring a pick-your-own tulip field, and seeing real reindeer at a Christmas tree farm.
On top of that, I suddenly had access to so many new activities. One of my favorite parts of exploring my new home was trying new fitness studios and workout methods I’d never had access to before.
I’ve always loved hiking, but it was previously reserved for vacations since I didn’t live near many trails. Now, I can open the AllTrails app and find endless hikes in my own state.
It’s been 3 years since I moved, and I’m convinced this is the best state to live in
And, in my opinion, Connecticut is the best place to live in New England because of its central location. I’m about a two-hour drive from Boston and a two-hour drive from New York City.
I can get to the beach in an hour, or drive two and a half hours and be in the mountains of Vermont or New Hampshire. Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and even Maine are easy drives for a weekend trip.
I’m now three years into living in Connecticut, and I still haven’t run out of things to do. I still keep an ever-growing list in my notes app of restaurants and coffee shops I want to try.
I often think about how grateful I am that I got the flight-attendant base I didn’t want. I love New England, I love Connecticut, and I can’t imagine being happier anywhere else.
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