I moved from Southern California to Michigan so I could afford to buy a home. Living here changed me in surprising ways.

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Kristi Valentini

• I grew up in Orange County and never considered living in any other state besides California.
• After getting married, though, we couldn't afford the kind of house we wanted — so we moved.
• At first, living in Michigan was a culture shock, but being here has made me a better person.

Born and raised in Orange County, I never considered leaving California until I got married.

We wanted to buy a house and start a family, but generally...