Caroline Tait - A New Home

Caroline atop the Sailors' and Soldiers' Monument

Caroline Tait first moved to urban Indianapolis from Norman, Oklahoma in 2011 for a year-long internship. “Coming from the suburban Southwest, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she said. “The first thing that struck me was the variety of things to do within walking or biking distance.” In addition to the abundance of recreational opportunities, Caroline found the community to be very welcoming. “The people I met in the city were always telling me about this or that event happening in the area.”

As much as Caroline enjoyed her year here, she had no intention of staying when her internship ran up. “I had decided that I would just be here for the one year. A lot of my friends still lived in Chattanooga [where she attended college], so I decided to go back there.” And go back she did— for a grand total of six months. “I guess I had grown more attached to the city and my friends here than I thought.” As the days went by, Caroline couldn’t help but miss her community back in Indianapolis, and found herself visiting Indianapolis frequently. “I kept thinking about all the good times I had in Indy—lining my friend’s pickup truck with plastic and making a swimming pool out of it, picnicking on the Circle, or chasing down the Duos food truck on our bikes.” Eventually, she started looking to move back in earnest, with the help of a community that was just as inviting the second time around.

The Mobile Truck Pool

Two months later, Caroline and I are sitting in Calvin Fletchers Coffee Co, enjoying the crisp mid- morning sunlight over the café’s signature roast. According to Caroline, Calvin Fletcher’s (a non- profit establishment intended to foster community) is a great example of what makes Indianapolis special. Amidst the pleasant hum of waking customers, it’s with an air of relief that she says: “It’s good to be back.”