The United States is of course home. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, built my software company in Seattle, met Jessica there, and spent most of my twenties and thirties thinking I'd probably stay in that region forever.
Then COVID happened, the city changed dramatically for a while, and like a lot of people, we started reevaluating where and how we wanted to live. We experimented with a few different places before eventually landing in Denver. A big part of that was family — most of mine is here now — but honestly, after years of Pacific Northwest gray, the 300+ days of sunshine started feeling pretty persuasive.
That said, the Pacific Northwest still feels deeply tied to who we are. Seattle, especially, shaped a huge chapter of our lives. It's where we met, where I built Tatango, and where a lot of our early adulthood happened. I still think Seattle is underrated by people who only associate it with rain. On a summer day, it's one of the best cities in the country. Water everywhere, ferries crossing Puget Sound, mountains in the distance, coffee shops on every corner, neighborhoods that still feel distinct from one another.
We've also spent meaningful time throughout lots of other parts of the US. Jessica went to college in California, and we both separately lived in New York City for a while before we met each other. Together we've also lived in Austin, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale. We've spent a lot of time in California, especially along the coast, and it's still one of the few places in the US we could realistically see ourselves ending up someday. Beyond that, we've traveled through a huge portion of the country for vacations, business, weddings, conferences, and friend trips, which has made us appreciate just how different life in the States can look and feel depending on where you are.
Even though we love international travel, there's still something special about coming home to the US. It's familiar. It's easy in ways you don't fully appreciate until you've spent a lot of time abroad. And most importantly, it's where our families, friends, history, and roots are. No matter how much we travel, it will always feel like coming home. (Pictured with our niece and nephew in Denver.)