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Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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My parents moved from NYC (where they were born and raised) to the Philadelphia suburbs back in the 1960s. When they got there, my mom kept asking "Where are all the people?" as people are out day and night in NY. Then one night they were out in the city, and she wanted to buy a pack of gum and no stores were open. She asked someone why nothing was open, and the answer was, "The stores are open late only on Thursday nights." My mom was flabbergasted. They adjusted, though and still live there almost 50 years later.
I moved from DC to North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area) 4 years ago. Moving from a world class city to a much smaller metro area felt like moving backwards. There were so many things I was used to, living in a much bigger city that they just don't have here (better museums, more historical sites, better shopping, public transportation, more direct flights, etc.). Still waiting for fiber for the internet, which we got in DC 8 years ago...(sigh)
I previously lived in DC and Seattle and then moved to Omaha. I am originally from another Midwestern town, so its not a huge shock for me. But I definitely felt like I was living decades behind. I'm not materialistic so I wasn't shopping and indulging like crazy when I lived on the coasts, but just finding things like groceries that cater to my alternative diet, holistic practitioners, people with similar intellectual interests and travels, etc was a miserable failure in Omaha. Top that withthe fact that there was no one my age that I could meet and click with in Omaha. The pros were that Omaha is significantly more humble and anti-pretentious than a place like DC. But I learned that living in places like that also have their downsides. Boredom and lack of intellectual stimulation being one of them.
I left Omaha for another town that is not much bigger but at least has pretty mountains. I am currently trying figure out where I want to go next.
I moved from Minneapolis to Orlando in the mid eighties, and even though Minneapolis was not a "World Class city" it was still far more educated and progressive than Central Florida. I had only previously visited Florida as a tourist and had no idea how redneck/podunk the area was back then. Of course that was a very long time ago.
yes, my husband and i are both san diego natives and left in 2001 for a little town named willard right outside of springfield...we have since lived in georgia and now sw virginia...have enjoyed living in all our locations!
Haven't done a move like this yet, but am considering it. Wife and I have been in Chicago for 2 years now (after 4 in DC). Starting a family, want to buy a house, and actively wrestling with where to put down roots
-stay in Chicago (areas where we can afford a home are far from core)
-look at 1st ring suburbs w/ walkable downtowns + transit (I work in Evanston)
-move to Madison, WI (my wife's hometown, access to grandparents, etc).
Seriously struggling to understand what would make us happiest, and if a place like Madison, while not 'podunk' would make sense. We're both very used to the big city...but life in a place like Madison is seemingly a lot easier for a young family. Lots of tradeoffs to consider. We joke that the family life we want is in Madison but the careers we want are in Chicago.
Well I moved out of Miami and live in San Angelo, Texas for a month before living in Cisco, Texas for several months. Nope, don't regret it. Miami's THE most overrated city in America, and I'm glad I'm no longer there. I'm in Denton now, which isn't "world class" but to me is sooo much more desirable than Miami. Miami is only a step up if you're moving from somewhere like Cuba lol (I can actually say that, I'm Cuban)
Didn't regret it because it was the absolute correct career/financial move and we were able to move again to someplace more desirable to us after we put in our time. But I did not enjoy living there...I made the most of it, but the Bible Belt culture was the worst for me and the relative lack of activiites/culture/even shopping was a big issue. I had children there, but the educational options were not up to what I desired for my children either. We moved before they started school.
I never have and never will...but my best friend left Boston for Houston, moved back in less than a year.
Houston's not even close to podunk. If we were talking about Beaumont, I'd agree with you.
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