Where is the first place you would want to live if you had a choice? Now go visit that location, and I guarantee you will change your mind.

Many of the destinations that appear to be paradise are not.

Or maybe these places really are paradise to visit. But is living permanently in paradise a good idea?

California and Florida are the first two states that come to mind when I think of paradise.

Sunshine, heat, beaches, palm trees, nightlife, big cities. after living in Illinois all of my life, that list sounds awesome to me!

Since graduation is quickly approaching, I have been thinking about where I should relocate for my future endeavors.

An opportunity arose in Miami, which to me just seemed perfect.

But I quickly found out I could not have been more wrong.

I learned that with the sun and heat comes humidity.

Everything felt sticky and greasy, which made me want to shower every hour.

With the beaches came high-priced living. Even half an hour away from the beach, the living expenses were still almost adding up to what the cost of my graduate school tuition would be.

Graduate school was already going to give me enough debt, but add in outrageous living expenses, and it would take 20 years to pay back my loans instead of 10.

And the big city, well that brought crowds.big crowds. A seven-mile trip took 35 minutes because of traffic.

This traffic was not just during rush hour, but during all hours of the day. The traffic was not just on the major interstates.

There was even traffic on roads comparable to Lincoln Avenue here in Charleston that would be lined with stopped cars and red lights.

Miami had everything I could ask for, but it also had a whole lot more I did not ask for. In my mind, the pros did not outweigh the cons.

My experience really made me appreciate Charleston, and the Midwest as a whole.

The weather might not be perfect, and there might not be sunny beaches, but the Midwest contains everything I need to live a satisfying life, and not too much of what I don’t need.

Paradise may be a great vacation, but that doesn’t mean it is a great place to relocate.

Abby Allgire is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812

or [email protected]