It's hard to explain how one can fall in love with a city, but it's entirely possible.

I'm guilty of falling for any city with basically any underground form of transportation. The simple idea of being able to take a train to any part of the city and then being able to walk anywhere is something that has always been very appealing to me.

The kicker is that this city is not yours or it is not yours yet. Visiting somewhere and completely falling in love with it and then having to leave your new love is something that I think everyone will experience in their lifetime.

Do not just limit yourself to cities. You can fall in love with small towns, too. A little mountain town or a seaside village is totally acceptable, too. I think I fell in love with the entirety of New England -- no shame.

When you fall in love with a city that isn't yours, it can feel like you have married someone and divorced them within the timespan you spent in the city. A whirlwind relationship.

When you fall in love with a city that isn't yours, you fall in love with the people within the city. It's an unrequited love.

When you fall in love with a city that isn't yours, everything just feels right and familiar. There's comfort in familiarity.

What's weird about falling in love with a city that isn't yours yet, you feel like you belong there and coming back home, or to wherever you go after your love affair ends, you feel like there is something missing. You can't put your finger exactly on what is missing, but then you realize that you're missing your city.

Your city.

Welcome to the long and painful life of someone who calls other cities theirs when they aren't quite theirs yet.