Madison Sidwell 9/19/14 Three. Its a small number yet it holds significant meaning to me. In 3rd grade I lived in three different places, went to three different schools, all within a matter of three months. My innocent and childish mind looked at the boarded windows of my house as we embarked on our journey. I liked to call it that because an emergency evacuation seemed too serious of a name. Little did I know at the time, this would mark the beginning of my life as a nomad. Bourbon street was no longer flooded with jazz and rhythm, but with water 8 feet deep. Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans and brought significant change to all of people. Like many, my family evacuated, we got into the car and just drove. Two weeks and a couple motels later, we were on our way back home, unsure if we even had a home. We went home to a house with no shingles, and a yard decorated with debris. My mom and dad eagerly cleaned up the house and fixed it right up. My dads job was being relocated to a small town in northern Louisiana. Tears fell from my face, unsure why I had to move. I had never known any different. When I said goodbye to my grandparents, who I had always lived five minutes away from, my eight year old thoughts began to mature. Why was all of this happening to me? The future was so unpredictable, was this a temporary change? When we arrived in Ruston, I saw how different life was going to be. For the little time I spent there, I made great memories. Our new home was the old home of the infamous criminal, Jesse James. I made a whole new network of friends, and I started to settle in to my new home. There were less tears, and more laughter, and then more tears. We are moving to Manlius, New York. The words excitedly spilled out of my parents mouths. Where was Manlius? Why was I moving to New York? After Christmas, we said our goodbyes, and off to Manlius we went. The instant I got off the plane, I got an unusual feeling. It was something I had never felt before; weather colder than 20 degrees. We were shocked by the Winter, and the completely different culture. North and South are truly polar opposites. Flash forward 6 happy years full of memories, great friends and new edition to our family. It was Easter of my 8th grade year when I was told that I was moving to San Francisco, California. A flood of emotions rushed over me. Being a 13 year old girl going into freshman year was hard enough, moving 3,000 miles away was a whole different story. With more tears and nervousness, we started on our 3rd move. Easily mistaken for the Griswolds, we drove our way across the country in a big orange van. It was a dramatic exit from a great chapter in our lives. We drove into the City by the Bay, and slowly began to settle in. Our new life was unlike any experience. By now though, we were professionals. We also had each other to help us through this change. A family becomes a lot closer when they seem to be your only friends. Today, San Francisco is our current residence, but we consider everywhere we have lived home. I have been raised by four different cities, and have gone through amazing experiences in my 17 years. Life as a nomad, is very inconsistent, but brings it rewards. I currently hold an amazing network of friends all around the country. My closest friends are my family. My family is my rock of consistency. I have learned that in order to adapt to any situation, I must bring my consistencies along with me. I have brought my talents and special gifts to every place I have been. I have grown up on stages, and in rehearsals. I love to sing, act, and dance. I incorporate all three in all parts of my life. Doing musical theatre has also made all of the transitions in my life go a little bit smoother. I am naturally an extrovert, and an outgoing person. I love adding new friends to my life and making new memories. Looking back, I am amazed at what a journey I have started on. Hurricane Katrina was a devastating disaster, but personally, it was a start to an amazing adventure. In the past, nomads moved around and migrated with the buffalo. They would hunt the buffalo and use all of its resources. I am a contemporary nomad, each move and migration, I hunt for new experiences, and in every experience, I will use whatever it gives me.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 23:15:26 +0000
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