Next year will be my last in New York. Gulp. Scary.

I am one of those New Yorkers who thinks the entire world revolves around New York City. I have spent my whole life here. The farthest I have gotten is those two years I lived in Brooklyn. And now, these two years in the Bronx where I remind myself daily that it only takes about 20 minutes from here to “the city.”

The closest I came to changing my mindset was last summer which we spent in Los Angeles for my husband’s internship. I grew, I think. Now I believe the world revolves around New York and Los Angeles.

My husband, though, is more globally-minded. Apparently, when we were discussing “warm” places (good for my aching bones) to move to when he finally finishes rabbinical school and I thought we were talking about places like Texas, my husband was thinking places like Australia and New Zealand. I think I can find Australia on a map but New Zealand? I know that the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed there, which means it is green and gorgeous but oy, my allergies.

I think I am going to have to learn to drive if I’m going to go global. I mean, what are the chances that New Zealand has a subway system? (Well, then again, Italy does. Go Italy!) When I told myself my husband would show me the world, I was thinking about that honeymoon he promised (but never delivered) to the Swiss Alps. I wasn’t thinking he would drag me off on an adventure to another country. I mean, my family JUST got to the United States, I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to leave. (Oh, the things we do for love!) I have talked him down from places like Venezuela. I explained that generations of my family have been trying to leave parts of South America and it didn’t seem right to go back.

So, honestly, how about those frequent flyer miles? (And is my passport up-to-date?) This time next year, I might be needing some! That’s right, I’m about to go all Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?