Heard someone say "you don't really live there until you get a library card" and it hit me different

Was at a coffee shop in Austin last Tuesday, and this older guy told the barista that simple line. I've been bouncing between Airbnbs here for 4 months now, and honestly I just rent them and treat them like hotel rooms. But hearing that made me realize I haven't actually embedded into any place I've stayed. So I went down to the public library on 11th Street that afternoon, got a card with my temporary address, and even borrowed a book about Texas history. Felt different walking out of there, like I had a tiny stake in the community. Has anyone else found a random specific action that made them feel less like a visitor somewhere?

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly.margaret4d ago

Bet you paid more attention to that book than the last Airbnb you stayed in.

sagejackson4d ago

Honestly @kelly.margaret, were you reading the fine print on that lease or just hoping for the best? Tbh I'm curious if you actually checked the reviews before you booked.

wade_anderson4d ago

Man, I feel for Kelly on this one. I once rented a place in Austin that looked amazing in the photos, but when I got there, the locks were busted and the AC barely worked. The reviews I did see were all glowing, but they turned out to be from people who stayed during a cool snap, so the AC issue never came up. It's way too easy to get burned by a place that looks perfect online, even if you read the fine print and the reviews. Your mileage may vary, but I've learned the hard way that sometimes even careful planning doesn't save you. I'm just saying, give her the benefit of the doubt unless you've been in those shoes yourself.