Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Erie, PA - An address, I'd never heard of #AtoZChallenge

If you asked me what Erie was, I'd laugh and say "It means creepy". Years of studying geography don't really help when you're talk about obscure towns in the world. Only when husband dear moved countries, is when I looked up "Erie, PA" and it still didn't prepare me for what to expect. Small place, lake attached to it and other random details were stuck in my head. As I landed in Detroit, I was familiarizing myself with the airport, after all, I had a few hours to spare. Familiar names started popping up on screens everywhere Allentown, Buffalo, New York, Pittsburgh, every other name other than Erie. But I didn't care much, I was too busy trying to keep warm (-22 C and all). I was also busy noticing the nice people who were ushering in passengers in the friendliest manner possible.

A nice lady, I'll never forget her bright red jacket sat next to me. She cutely asked "From India?" I said "Yes." She said "where you headed?" I promptly said "ERIE", her reply, I'll never forget "Why would anyone want to go there? It is cold as hell". I didn't know what cold was, not the kind that this sweet lady was describing anyway. I spoke to her for a couple of more minutes only to to discover some of them were also going to the place I was headed for a marketing meeting of some sort and they were not happy about it.


The last leg of my trip, I don't know how long it took. It felt like eternity. In reality, it took me 35 minutes before touch down and boy! What a sight - rains, snow, people slipping (may be even falling). I was scared. I knew my husband lived here and survived, but I was still a little doubtful about myself.

Over the next few days, the jetlag cleared, I was more conscious, I made some food, I started exploring little parts of my own house. My roommate isn't exactly the "home" person. He used exactly those parts that he needed - Half of the bed, 7 hangers, the bathroom and the kitchen. I swear!

8 Months now feel very short and yet feet like a lifetime, all those trips to the Indian store feel like a long time ago, I feel like Erie was a dream and yet, when someone starts playing "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift, I am transported to the snow clad city I lost my heart to! 



13 comments:

  1. Cool blog, Maggie! Your title enticed me, your content kept me reading on. Well done! I thrive in chaos but adore my peaceful moments, too (sometimes at 2am). ;-)

    Cheers,
    Sati

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  2. Maggie it felt like I was there with you, in the cold and snow-covered place. Love your quirky style of narration. I seriously need to get back to my forgotten geography and atlas!
    @KalaRavi16 from
    Relax-N-Rave

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  3. sitting miles away you are helping me visualise cities from States and they are beautiful

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  4. Great narration Maggie. I could feel the snow in scorching heat chennai.

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  5. Wow

    Erie is such an adventurous place to explore and yes we can't stay there for more than a hour but soldier stay there and save us .

    Loved the post .


    @dixita011 from
    Cafenined words


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  6. Even I didnt know about this place Maggie, but loved your post :)

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  7. Oh, it sounds wonderful...despite the cold! And I love the name of the town. Imagine telling people you live in Erie. lol!

    Cheers!
    Modern Gypsy

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  8. -22 C sounds too cold to imagine for me let alone think in terms of landing there. What a perfect name for a frozen, deserted place. I'm sure it's a memory of having been to a place that's nothing like anywhere else :)

    My Era @theerailivedin
    The Era I Lived In

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  9. Erie is one letter short of eerie :)

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  10. That is a drastic climate change for you, Maggie. I'm glad you are settling. I do love snowy landscapes. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  11. I knew about the lake but I didn't know it had a town attached to it. And often at the beginning of something we are hesitant but later when it is over, we miss it. That is life, isn't it?

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  12. Sounds like Erie was just not a place but an experience for you :)

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