13 Years in Czechland

Today is 13 years in Czechland.  13 years!?!   A lot has happened since my ten year party three years ago.  The last couple of years especially seems kind of blur, in no small part, due to Covid.

Coming to Czechland is still one of the best decisions that I ever made.  Although, I am starting to have a bit of an identity issue.  I was born and raised in California and,  truth be told, deep down, I'll always be a bit of a California boy.  

When I was 24, I went to Atlanta for a two-week vacation and ended up staying there for 13 years.  When I lived in Atlanta and someone asked me where I'm from, the obvious answer was that I'm from California.  

While I've been here when people have asked me where I'm from, then the answer has been that I'm from Atlanta.  As of tomorrow I will have lived in Brno longer than I lived in Atlanta so am I really still from Atlanta?  Perhaps the answer to where I'm from defaults back to California.

A friend of mine asked that "when I think of home" what pops in to my mind?  When I think of back home, then California pops into my mine.  But, honestly if I think of home, (and not of back home) then Brno is what pops into my mind which doesn't exactly help.  I can't say that I'm from Brno.  That would be weird.  Plus, people would assume that I'm either making a joke or that I actually have Czech citizenship.

Another friend mentioned that his kids were Moravian because they were born in Brno.  I've lived in Brno longer than his kids have been alive so does that make me more or less Moravian than the kids?  I don't think so.  

However, once I finally get Czech citizenship, the government will issue me a new Czech birth certificate and the place of birth will be the address where I submit my application.  So whenever I finally do become Czech, my new birth certificate will state that I was born in Moravia.  I guess when that day comes I will officially be a government-certified Brňák.  But that seems a way off because I still need to sort out my paperwork so that I can finally apply for Czech citizenship.  

Now that I've lived here for 13 years, I suppose that I'm now a Czech teenager.  Well sort of, I guess.  At the very least I can wish myself a Happy Czech-iversary!!