Why do some people live their whole life in the same city? (crime, home)
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I was going to use a specific area, but then figured everyone would have pros or cons. Why (or why not) did you stay in the same city, what was it and where?
Having grown up somewhat nomadic, I have the urge to move on every five years. Tougher now with a family, but it's already happened twice. The trick is to couch it in adventurous terms. Nothing like adventure to get everyone on board.
I don't know, I guess it is because I've got loads of friends and much of my family here, as well as a good job. I sometimes think of moving away, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I did move away for college for 3 years, but I moved back when I was done.
Fear has nothing to do with anything. I've traveled all over the world, hiked mountains in Russia, danced in a Sao Paulo nightclub, swam in Munich's eisbach river, visited the Scottish highlands ... I just like to go home to Chicago, where I grew up. Just because someone likes where he or she was born and raised and likes the community that comes with it does not mean that he or she is cowering behind the door in fear afraid to cross the boundaries of her hometown and experience something new, it doesn't mean that at all.
My cousin, who is 34, has lived in the same town since she was 7 or so. It's a great town, plenty to do, very safe, and she has tons of friends since she's always lived there. I don't blame her for being reluctant to ever want to move.
I think it's obvious. If your happy in your location and/or have alot of friends, family, great job, why would you leave? As someone who has moved many times it is a pain in the .... ! I have two family members that have lived in the same place there entire life. Like I said above they have everything they need. The grass isn't always greener on the other side! They never had any empathy for me moving because they have no idea how hard, stressful, expensive, and everything else it can be.
If you want to experience new things.... travel! It's that easy.
I guess my husband and I sort of fall into this category. We both grew up on farms and lived near small towns. But the town we live in was always our "big town" since we had to come here to buy clothes, shoes, or basically anything but groceries or parts for farm machinery. It's also the only town in the immediate area that has employment.
Now that our family and relatives from this area are pretty well gone, I'm ready to move on. I've lived here 51 years and my husband has lived here 61 years. I guess it was just familiarity that has made us stay. I don't like our cold winters and I never have, but we do have a good quality of life here. (friendly people, very little crime in comparison to national averages,) We've always liked to go to oldies concerts and there are several in the area every year. We also always liked to go to drive-ins (movies) and even though many have closed up, we have one right here that re-opened about 10 years ago. We're within a half days drive to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. If it was up to my husband, we'd spend our entire lives right here.
Some people have the ability to adapt and be content no matter where they are, some people are reluctant to rock the boat, some people are afraid of the unfamiliar, some people know a good thing when they have it.
I don't think that a person's upbringing (moved around a lot, or stayed in one place till age 18) necessarily influences what they do as an adult.
And it depends on the city; bigger cities attract more people, smaller cities grow more slowly.
Most (but not all) of my Denver friends came from somewhere else, about half my friends here were at least born in Florida if not near, or in this town.
I agree that travel can assuage a person's wanderlust. I was happy in the same spot for many years.
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