Go East, Young Woman

When I was a kid, one of my favorite games was Oregon Trail. I remember saving up my good behavior points at school so that I could exchange them for time on the computer. The computers had those green on black monitors that only displayed text, and I had to switch floppy disks when my wagon train got to Nebraska. I used to daydream about what it would have been like to strike out into the unknown like that.

I grew up in San Jose, so tales of prospectors striking it rich and Franciscans building missions were a part of the local lore. “Go west, young man” was the answer to stagnation and lack of opportunity. Pack up your belongings, head into the sunset, and with grit and hard work, make a good life.

There’s no more gold in California.

I work hard, and I never give up, but the cost of living is stratospheric. I’m broke at the end of every month, even with a decent income and a frugal lifestyle. If I stay, I will never own a house, never be able to pay for my future children to go to college, never finish paying off my student loans, and never retire.

So the answer is to reverse the process. Where my forebears packed up their belongings into a covered wagon, hitched up their oxen, and headed west, I’m packing up my belongings into a Uhaul, filling up the gas tank, and heading east. At least I won’t have to deal with dysentery along the way.

I’m moving to Phoenix in a few months. Instead of mining for gold or setting up a ranch, I’ll be practicing law. I’ll be leaving my old life - and my family and friends - behind to start a new one. I’ll still stay in touch, though. Email is much faster than the Pony Express!