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The topic I chose to discuss about is “Moving From Another State or Country and Moving to Pikeville, Kentucky.” I chose this topic because I moved from Atlanta, Georgia to Kentucky in  August of 2020. Therefore, I can discuss and give some tips on how I dealt with a big change coming from Georgia to Kentucky. Also, I believe that this discussion can be helpful to anyone else who has moved from a different state or country.

Personally, I was not ready to move to Kentucky because the only state I ever lived in was Georgia. I was also upset in the about moving because I knew I was leaving the rest of my family. I am a big family person so I knew that the day I was going to leave would be a difficult day for me. Kentucky was a state I didn’t hear a lot about so I was not familiarized with the state. When I first moved into my new home, I felt many emotions. I was excited to go to school, sad because I left my family and I was felt nervous because I did not know what to expect in a new environment.

When I first came to University of Pikeville, I was amazed on how big the campus was and I also thought it seemed pretty cool. My first day was exciting and confusing. Like a lot of new students coming to a new school, I got lost going to my first class of the day but I met a student who helped me find my first class. I had actually made a new friend my first day because of that, she was very kind enough to walk me to my class because I did not know where I was going. The rest of the semester wasn’t bad at all. I had some very nice and helpful teachers and I also made new friends who I shared common characteristics with.

I interviewed a student, Gabriel Torres, who moved from Brazil to Virginia and then to Pikeville, Kentucky in 2018. I asked Gabriel “how did it feel or how was your experience coming from another state or country and moving to Pikeville?” Gabriel responded by telling me “I moved from Brazil and moved to America in 2018. I had to get used to not having my parents around and getting used to being responsible for myself. I also feel that freedom comes with responsibility and I also advice to find your crowd as soon as you can.” I agreed with Gabriel when he spoke about finding your own crowd when moving to another state. It is important to socialize and get to know new people, that way you can also get to know more about where you live. My sister, Sanya Bhatnagar, also moved from Georgia to Kentucky and I know she had her own struggles. I asked Sanya how she felt about moving from Georgia and coming to Kentucky. Sanya responded by saying “At first I was not happy moving because I was leaving my pets and my family but I learned to adjust and am still adjusting to the new environment and changes of things.”

Besides coming to a new school, I also had to adjust to new living environments and new places I had never been to before. I came from a huge well known city, Atlanta, where there are many places just five or ten minutes away from where I lived. After I moved to Kentucky, I realized that my family and I would have to drive a long time to get to a city with many places. I was also not used to living around a mountain area where there wouldn’t be any cell phone signal, that was one thing I wasn’t so used to. I currently don’t live in a modern city in Kentucky so I’ll have to drive some distance to get to a mall or a area. At first, it was kind of frustrating to know I would have to drive long distances to get to a place but as time went on, I actually started to enjoy the long drives because they can actually be quite peaceful.

Eventually, you become used to the new environment, the places, and the new people. Every place has their pros and cons but it’s better to focus on the positive things in life. I do enjoy living in Kentucky because I’ve met some very kind people and I have some of my family here with me to make it easier. It did take some time to get used to everything and I’m still not used to everything here but I know I will eventually. School is also something I honestly look forward to because of the teachers and also the community. It is hard at first but anyone can get through it with a positive mindset.

Citations:

• 1) This website gives the readers an overview of Atlanta, Georgia. This is the place that I moved from. https://www.britannica.com/place/Atlanta-Georgia
• 2) This website gives an overview and fun things to do in Pikeville, Kentucky. https://www.visitpikeville.com/
• 3) This citation gives the website link to University of Pikeville, the school that I am attending. You can find a lot of information about the school on the school website. https://www.visitpikeville.com/