Where do I begin. I’ll start by saying that, venturing from a bigger city to a smaller town, I didn’t love it. But I certainly didn’t hate it. The location was… fine. I was fortunate enough to find a good gym with a sauna that I frequented daily and highly recommend (Thorbeckes) and which was near one of the nicest SafeWays I’ve ever been in. Walmart is in the next town over, roughly 10min away, and there is coffee available everywhere. And did I mention they have an outlet mall!?! What made living in Centralia that much more sweet was that I had one of the best work experiences thus far. My co-workers were more than delightful. Just the right kind of cynicism, sarcasm, and positivity that an emergency department needs, plus all of the talent and drive. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment. But, to live there, I guess that’s another story.
Centralia is appropriately named, being nearly in the center of Washington state’s attractions. It is 1.5hrs North of Portland and roughly the same distance South from Seattle. Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens are both roughly 2 hours to the East and Olympic National Park begins just an hour or so to the Northwest. This is precisely why I chose Centralia. But being that centrally located in this rural town meant that I was kind of far from everything that was “happening”. Olympia, the state’s capital, is roughly 30 minutes North. Tacoma, a larger city than Olympia but smaller than Seattle, is roughly 30 minutes further North past Olympia. It’s in those two cities that one can find the best plant-based food, wine bars, parks, shopping, and coffee shops. And let’s not forget the REI! This is where a hiking millennial like me wants to be. So, though it wasn’t far, it wasn’t the ideal distance from home to grab a bite to eat or a drink.
Living in a small town has its perks, though, especially Centralia which is actually not that small when compared to other towns around the country. Traffic was fantastic and parking always free. It was on the quieter side. And it was kind of cool to be woken up by chickens each morning at my bnb. The most lovely coffeeshop I’ve ever been in I found in Chehalis– a house turned coffee shop and bookstore offering subscription services of books picked personally by the owner to match the tastes of the subscriber (Shakespeare & Co. ). In this same neighboring town there lies the restaurant Once Upon a Thyme which offers very tasty vegan options and has the most welcoming service.
That said, I found Washington state to be very similar to New York State. Outside of the major cities, New York State is quite rural and very conservative. It turns out that a lot of people think that New York State is just like New York City and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I found that Washington residents who do not live in the bigger cities find it similarly frustrating to be compared to Seattle. One stark difference, though, and a definite downside to living in Washington, was how polarized the above-mentioned made the state. There didn’t appear to be much middle ground when it came to politics. Those in bigger cities were seemingly the extreme of liberals and those in smaller towns were seemingly the extreme of conservatives. Each side seemingly terrified of the other. Communication and understanding were sorely lacking as was cultural and racial diversity outside of the bigger cities– the cities themselves not blowing me away in that regard either. Coming from a place like New York City where literally everyone around the world is represented, it was hard to live in a place where that wasn’t the case.
I’m quite obviously a liberal, if you look at my posts and my interests. But I’d like to consider myself open-minded. I’d like to believe that I understand that not everything goes my way and not everyone thinks how I think, and that that’s okay. There’s always compromise. I think the more important part is figuring out how to remove all of the BS and collectively determining what’s actually important about being alive and being alive in this time specifically. I, like everyone else, pictured Washington State to be more generally liberal than it is. But I can honestly say that I embraced the experience with an open heart. All I wanted to do was enjoy the natural beauties that the state had to offer and to be the best damn nurse that I could in my new job. Everywhere I go I encounter racism, sexism, and people who just don’t like me because of my beliefs. I’m happy to say that Centralia contributed but a tiny portion of those experiences because, well, there is no place that’s perfect. My eyes have been sufficiently opened and I hope that I’ve learned something both about the country and about myself and that I strive forward with that new knowledge always in the back of my mind.
I would visit Centralia again in a heartbeat. Especially to see my coworkers. I love you guys! 🥰
Ruby Beach sunset 
Pike Place market in Seattle, WA 
Lake Crescent from atop Mt. Storm King 
Olympic National Park 
Tree of Life 
Largest Sitka Spruce 
View of Mt. Rainier from Centralia, WA commute 
Hurricane Ridge