My car pulled into a gravel driveway, with a metal basin in the middle that was surrounded with overgrown weeds. I stared up at the two-story house, with its brown and tan walls. It looked nothing like the house I had left behind. I wondered how it would look covered with a blanket of snow. It only made me miss my home more.
The car rolled to a stop and I grabbed my backpack and stepped out onto the gravel. I stared up at the house, wondering how in the world I would ever settle there; I wasn’t even sure I liked it. But I was too tired to think about these things. I walked up to the back door, trailing behind my mom. She opened the door and I stepped inside.
My siblings immediately jumped on me, giving me hugs and chattering excitedly. I barely had time to pull off my shoes before they pulled me along into a tour of the house. They first showed me the kitchen, which had hardly anything in it. They had only moved in yesterday, after all. It looked bare, and I couldn’t help the wave of homesickness that swept over me. Next, they showed me where my parents were sleeping, and the laundry room. None of it looked familiar and I couldn’t help but wish we were in Florida, where we belonged.
Several months ago, my parents decided to move our family of five from Naples, Florida, to Sun Valley, Idaho. When I first heard the new it wasn’t a big surprise. We had been talking for months about moving to Idaho. I just didn’t think it would ever happen. I don’t think I realized at the time just how hard it would be.I had just spent the past week in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my grandma, while my parents drove out our dogs and my siblings. While in Minneapolis, I was able to keep the daunting prospect of Idaho out of my mind.But now I was finally here.
After we finished going through the first floor, we went upstairs. They showed me the office, and the living area. Finally it was time to see the room that would be my bedroom. I walked slowly down the hall, looking around and thinking about my room in Florida. My room in Florida had been a light pink, with a little nook for my bed. I had had a white desk and a green bookshelf. The new room was pink, with two twin beds and an ugly chandelier that looked like surgical lights. It was bare except for the beds and a suitcase lying open on the floor. I stood in the middle of the room, looking around. I didn’t know about sharing with my sister, or if I really liked the room. It was different, as was everything in the house. But there wasn’t anything I could do about it. No amount of wishing would get me back to Florida that night.
That night I lay in my bed, thinking about moving, and the things I had left behind. I knew it would take time to stop longing for Florida, but for now the homesickness was fresh and immediate. Memories flooded through my head, of the friends I had left behind, and the waves of the beach. There was so many things to worry about, but for now I was too tired to do anything but sleep. As I drifted off I thought, Will I ever stop missing them?
tcs
Dec 7, 2009 12:24 PM
Olivia, your story describes so well how it feels to move to a new town and to be homesick, and it reminded me of those same feelings from moves throughout my life. Hopefully after more than a year here, you are feeling settled in. Florida's loss is our gain! --Beverley
Hannah Conn (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 12:54 PM
Olivia,
I can relate to moving and how hard it can be. I think you captured this feeling in your story while telling about how sad you were and describing your feelings in a detailed manner. I really liked your story because it was very good and I felt like I was there and that I had moved away. It was a very realistic story that totally captivated me. I think that it is really good just as it is. Good job!
Hannah
henry everitt (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 3:21 PM
I like you had alot of detail
Braden Flaherty (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 3:27 PM
I like it, you had a lot of detail and I can really relate
Colby Wright (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 4:22 PM
Great! I loved the detail and , as Braden said, i can relly relate as well! Keep up the good work!
Pierson (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 4:24 PM
Wow That story was amazing I mean you did sooo well on painting a picture in our minds. If those details were three damentanal they would fill up a house. you did so well on letting us know how you felt. I wish I could write as well as you.
Garrett Rawlings (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 4:31 PM
nice job. you made me look bad. only one thing do you like sun valley now i hope you do. it was great and i could see you like i was write there with you. i can also relate to moving but i was very young i got us to ti easily.
From Garrett
p.s. my neighbor had a tractor that i use to love to sit on.
Parker Jones (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 5:21 PM
Amazing story Olivia! Great job describing the house and the room you slept in. Great, great job Olivia!!!!!!
Lexi (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 5:28 PM
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE! I started to cry, and now I feel bad because we all were so hard on you when you first came! anyway, very descriptive, it made me feel like I was right there. I've never had to move, but now I feel like I have.
Lexi (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 5:31 PM
p.s. it seems like something out of a novel! it reminded me of the very beginning of Twilight
Jack (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 5:33 PM
hey great job, i like the beginning how you said my car pulled into a gravel driveway. I thought it was great discription.
Good job
Jack
Keegan Whitelaw (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 5:44 PM
Oliva,
Oliva that was a really good story!!!! I bet when you came here it was so differnt from Florida
because its hot there, and cold here. That was a great story with lots of detail. I liked how you
said "Will I ever stop missing them." I thought that was great detail and that took me into a great
picture!!! I liked it a lot and you should do more writings about your self. Even though I haven't
moved anywehre yet I still get know how you feel. It was a great story and keep up the good work!
Your friend, Keegan
Heather Black (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 6:02 PM
Olivia, Moving is always hard. I moved many times when I was younger, but always within the same town, so at least I did not have to go through the experience of trying to make new friends, but what was my "space" (and I needed my space at times) changed frequently and that was not always easy. At any rate, I hope you are feeling more at home at this point and that you have found YOUR "space". You write beautifully...beyond your chronological years! Terrific job!
jackie (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 6:24 PM
garrett, i really liked your story it was really good same with olivia's. i really enjoyed it.
Evan Rocks!!!! :) (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 6:47 PM
Great story olivia! you really discribed everything from the driveway to your new room! I do have one Question. Do you like Florida or Sun Valley better?
Evan
Alex Feldman (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 7:15 PM
Nice Olivia! I have the same question as Evan! Great description =)
Alex
Ryan (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 7:35 PM
Hey Olivia-
Wow, I can really relate to what its like to move to such a small town, and its not easy. But it looks like your having a great time now, so thats great. You described everything so well, that I was recalling what it was like for me when i first moved to SV. I could relate almost 100% to your story. Wow, you are such a great writer! That was a really good story, and I'm glad i read it. The detail was soooooo good!!!! Keep up the good work olivia!
Ryan
Hope Perkins (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 7:42 PM
Your story was awesome! You had great description. You really let your feelings out and that made it into a great story. Like Lexi said, we didnt treat you very well when you first came into the school. Not me as much, but at the end of the year I started kind of ignoring you and leaving you and Brooke to eat on your own. Im sorry! :( Anyway, I loved your story!!
-Hope
Blair (unauthenticated)
Dec 7, 2009 8:24 PM
Hello Olivia,
WOW This was soooo amazing when i read he part about the light i started giggling it was so funny.
I could feel how you felt. You used really discriptive words!!! Good Job
Blair
Curtis Griffin
Dec 8, 2009 2:09 PM
that is an awesome story, I loved the details. I have the same question as Evan.
-Griffin
Tom (unauthenticated)
Dec 8, 2009 2:16 PM
dear Olivia,
i read this story four times now and it gets better every time for me. i moved hear when i was six and i can relate to this situation
-Thomas =)
Emily (unauthenticated)
Dec 8, 2009 2:36 PM
Hi Olivia,
I love how you told us about how you felt when you walked into the house and how you felt very homesick. Could you tell us more of the day after you moved in? How did you feel?
Em
Waverly (unauthenticated)
Dec 8, 2009 5:12 PM
Hi Olivia-
Your story was so good! I loved it! I think you described everything so well, especially your old room. You used very descriptive words, and it was like I was there watching you the whole time! I would love to hear more about what it was like to move from Florida one day, and how you felt after coming to the Community School after a few days. Keep it Up!
Wave
Theo (unauthenticated)
Dec 8, 2009 8:31 PM
Olivia,
I really enjoyed your writing and detail of the story. I think that you could have described the house a bit more even though there wasn't really anything in the house.
Lilly (unauthenticated)
Dec 9, 2009 4:21 PM
Olivia-
That is a really good story pick! I really liked all the detail. You have a really good choice in words. I like the title and how you when you were falling asleep that you thought of everything that you left behind. I liked the first few paragraphs when you left out that you came from Florida.
Lilly
Eliza (unauthenticated)
Dec 9, 2009 4:52 PM
Olivia,
WOW that was amazing. You had such great detail! I like how you ended the story with a question! I can totally relate to how you felt. The way you described things put great pictures into my head. That was awesome
Eliza
Samie (unauthenticated)
Dec 10, 2009 4:19 PM
Hi Olivia,
I really like the description in your story, I really relate to your story because I had to move too and I still miss my friend from when I was like 4. I like the detail and how you started your story
Samie!!!
Sarah (unauthenticated)
Dec 10, 2009 9:20 PM
Olivia
Really good story.I moved when i was 3 i never really missed California I was a mountain girl. I cant imagine how hard it would be to move after 10 years in a place. You had great description. Thanks for sharing you expierience. I have to wonder are you still that homesick??
-sarah
Darby (unauthenticated)
Dec 10, 2009 9:34 PM
Hey Olivia,
I LOVED THAT. I have never moved but when I read that I thought I was there with you. You were very discriptive and it had a lot of detail. I really enjoyed reading this. GOOD JOB!!
-Darby
Darby (agian) (unauthenticated)
Dec 10, 2009 9:35 PM
p.s I want to know the same thing Sarah does...Are you still that homesick?
--Darby
Tripp (unauthenticated)
Dec 10, 2009 10:01 PM
that was great olivia, your description and your word choices were crazy good. i liked how you described not just the the inside of your house but the outside.
Jay (unauthenticated)
Dec 11, 2009 8:11 AM
Dear Olivia,
that was really good i liked all of the details that you put into your story it really put a picture in my mind.
Kristian (unauthenticated)
Dec 12, 2009 3:22 PM
I like how in the beginning you pretty much just went straight to the subject. i really understood the story the story, and i could really picture it in my mind
Kristian (unauthenticated)
Dec 13, 2009 8:38 AM
Olivia, it must of been a huge commitment to move from Florida to Sun Valley where there is no winter in Florida and there is a huge winter with snow here. In your story it pretty much related to me because I have moved so many times. For example I have moved from California to Sun Valley. It was hard because I had to leave all my friends and settle into a new location and a new area. Next time I would like to hear more about Florida.
Thank You for sharing this story.
carson:) (unauthenticated)
Dec 14, 2009 8:27 AM
i have moved many times befor but for me every new palace has been better than the last grate detale
carson
Nico (unauthenticated)
Dec 14, 2009 8:28 AM
Olivia
it must have been hard for you moving to idaho but once you go skiing your not gonna want to leave here. I thought you had very good descriptions and you made perfect pictures in my head good job
nico
Dane (unauthenticated)
Dec 14, 2009 3:20 PM
I liked your story. Right now I am going through the same thing. You did a great job discribing every thing.By.
max (unauthenticated)
Dec 14, 2009 5:01 PM
I Liked your story a lot. I have lived here my whole life but i have only moved from house to so i kind of know how you feel. You were very descriptive. good job!
Max
lukas (unauthenticated)
Dec 14, 2009 8:52 PM
I liked your story a lot.
I moved from one hose to another so I know how you feel.
keep up the good work!!!!
sean (unauthenticated)
Dec 15, 2009 2:24 PM
i though t that story was great and it is hard to move but exciting. it had great details
jackie (unauthenticated)
Dec 15, 2009 7:21 PM
it was really good i could really picture it in my mind and I felt like I was there, you made it great to understand and it was very descriptive