"Why" do you live in upstate NY? (New York: unemployment, neighborhoods)

[iloveupstateny]

I was just listening to that cheesy song by John Denver----and the simple line is "take me home country roads, to the place I belong"...enough said. Too bad this is about WV but this reminds me of upstate NY. If I can't live in NY right now, this song can still bring me back to the beautiful countryside (among tons of other things) that NY is so lucky to have.

Knowing where you belong is really quite a good thing. Getting there is a bit harder.

[jrice]

Originally Posted by gold dust

Being that some of us all love NY so much, I wonder why we leave?

My excuse is my husband made me do it! I am getting us back there as soon as I can. Texas is a completely different world, let me tell you!

I am originally from Syracuse (both sets of grandparents came to Syr right of the boats), and lived there until I was 26. The only reason I moved was the economic resources in Syracuse were bad. I was laidoff by Telergy and could not find a comparable job in terms of pay scale. So we moved to Las Vegas. Vegas is not the utopia that most people make it out to be, people are fake (I blame the Cali transplants for that), the weather is miserable(especially in the summer), theres no sense of community, etc

What I miss about Syracuse is:

-the people, it might be because I am from the area but I find everyone friendly and sincere.
-the weather, snow is not as bad as 115 degree summers, also the sun can get pretty boring when you see it 360 days a year
-the sense of community, you know your neighbors and are friendly with them. Most people stay in their homes decades instead of trying to flip them and make a quick buck
-Food, good old fashioned italian food, bakeries, Hoffman hotdogs
-that its home


If Syracuse could focus more resources on bringing jobs back into the community instead of being so focused on Destiny USA it would really benefit the area. Theres only so much retail can do for a city

[rochacha]

Originally Posted by koren09

im moving upstate next week from california........my reason.....fort drum.............my husband just got stationed there......im not used to country living AT ALL! boy, im in for an experience, am i? lol.....very, very, different from what im used to.....im a city girl, but im sure i can adjust....hopefully.........

CA to Ft. Drum is a big, big change! I look forward to your posts in the winter, LOL! Honestly, the closest big city from Ft. Drum is actually Ottawa. Syracuse and Rochester are the next closest cities. I'd also recommend picking up the ferry on Wolf Island in the 1000 Islands and making the trip to Kingston, ON...that is a nice city. Good luck, and I am not going to lie, it will be a big adjustment!

[Upstate Nancy]

Originally Posted by jrice

Vegas is not the utopia that most people make it out to be, people are fake (I blame the Cali transplants for that), the weather is miserable(especially in the summer), theres no sense of community, etc

What I miss about Syracuse is:

-the people, it might be because I am from the area but I find everyone friendly and sincere.
-the weather, snow is not as bad as 115 degree summers, also the sun can get pretty boring when you see it 360 days a year
-the sense of community, you know your neighbors and are friendly with them. Most people stay in their homes decades instead of trying to flip them and make a quick buck
-Food, good old fashioned italian food, bakeries, Hoffman hotdogs
-that its home

I could basically substitute "Phoenix" for Vegas and your thread would be mine. The West/East Coasts are very different, for sure.

[just_sayin']

You could substitute "Raleigh" for most of that description of Vegas too. Not quite 115 degree temps, but high 90's-low 100's with ridiculously high humidity are just as bad if not worse. I agree, I prefer having a snowy winter where you're inside most of the time to a brutal summer where you're couped up in the AC most of the time. Noticed the same cultural things with the high number of transplants in Raleigh too. Only there you can add in a little bitterness from some deeprooted southerners and unfortunately arrogance of northerners who still think they're better than southerners. Very happy to be back in Rochester!

[tt6351]

I'm a new member and reading all these posts really makes me miss home now! I'm originally from the Catskills and found myself, along with my husband, leaving NY for Vegas about 15 years ago. My parents live here as well, but the remainder of both our families are back home. Vegas has been very good to us, no doubt, but the biggest change in our lives is our little boy. He's two, and since he's come into our lives, my entire outlook on where I want him to grow up has totally flip flopped. I want to be back home, in the country, wide spaces, green rolling hills, and the sense of real "community". Let my son see and experience the same as we did growing up...ok, sounds cheezy, huh? Along with all the other good things I've been reading on these posts as to why people love it in NY, I could go on and on. Biggest problem then? Well, three parts: housing tanked here in LV (be lucky to "break even", my parents (the guilt of taking away their grandson), and my husbands job of 14 years (city job). Some people would think..and have already said, we're stupid for even thinking about going back home. Whaddya do? I envy the ones who are moving back soon, and to those who have never lived there before....take the time to enjoy it, because you will miss it when it's gone!

[jrice]

Originally Posted by tt6351

I'm a new member and reading all these posts really makes me miss home now! I'm originally from the Catskills and found myself, along with my husband, leaving NY for Vegas about 15 years ago. My parents live here as well, but the remainder of both our families are back home. Vegas has been very good to us, no doubt, but the biggest change in our lives is our little boy. He's two, and since he's come into our lives, my entire outlook on where I want him to grow up has totally flip flopped. I want to be back home, in the country, wide spaces, green rolling hills, and the sense of real "community". Let my son see and experience the same as we did growing up...ok, sounds cheezy, huh? Along with all the other good things I've been reading on these posts as to why people love it in NY, I could go on and on. Biggest problem then? Well, three parts: housing tanked here in LV (be lucky to "break even", my parents (the guilt of taking away their grandson), and my husbands job of 14 years (city job). Some people would think..and have already said, we're stupid for even thinking about going back home. Whaddya do? I envy the ones who are moving back soon, and to those who have never lived there before....take the time to enjoy it, because you will miss it when it's gone!

I have some of the same problems about leaving Vegas as well. My son is turning 6 and besides the schools here in Clark county being horrible I do not want to raise him in an enviroment where sex, drugs, and drinking are freely accepted. Now I know parenting plays a large part of how a child does but the constant sexual, etc stimulus isnt good. My mother lives here in Vegas as well and I also have the guilt complex about taking her only grandchild away but we are doing it for the good of the child. Moving back to Syracuse, atleast for us, is almost non existant-just too many financial concerns so we are planning on moving to southern PA, that way I can reopen my business there and be within 1 hr of 3 metro areas. IF Syracuse wasnt so saturated with IT providers and had farvorable corp tax I would move back in a hearbeat but its not meant to be. But being in PA, we sill still have the northeast/east coast feel and be within hours driving time of home as opposed to now where its a good 3 days to drive or 6 hours to fly. I agree with your last statement, enjoy it because you def would miss it

[juppiter]

To answer the OP, I live here because I was born and raised here(in Albany), and now I go to college here (in Rochester.) I will most likely will go to grad school in upstate NY too.

After that, though.... as much as I love the scenery, culture, and history of Upstate NY, I will probably look for a job elsewhere. The tax burden here is too high and the job market too competitive.

If the state were to address this issue I would love to stay.

[tt6351]

Originally Posted by jrice

I have some of the same problems about leaving Vegas as well. My son is turning 6 and besides the schools here in Clark county being horrible I do not want to raise him in an enviroment where sex, drugs, and drinking are freely accepted. Now I know parenting plays a large part of how a child does but the constant sexual, etc stimulus isnt good. My mother lives here in Vegas as well and I also have the guilt complex about taking her only grandchild away but we are doing it for the good of the child. Moving back to Syracuse, atleast for us, is almost non existant-just too many financial concerns so we are planning on moving to southern PA, that way I can reopen my business there and be within 1 hr of 3 metro areas. IF Syracuse wasnt so saturated with IT providers and had farvorable corp tax I would move back in a hearbeat but its not meant to be. But being in PA, we sill still have the northeast/east coast feel and be within hours driving time of home as opposed to now where its a good 3 days to drive or 6 hours to fly. I agree with your last statement, enjoy it because you def would miss it

WOW, I'm not alone??!! lol. I agree with you about the stimulus here. Although the main thing is how a you raise your child, the surroundings contribute alot to the outcome....I feel. So who knows, right now at this moment it's not in the picture to move right away. Since my son is only 2, I'll give myself a little time. Our hometown would be out of the picture as well....taxes are out of this world there! And we also have family in the Pike County area of PA, which is an easy commute for visiting, jobs, etc. Not to mention BEAUTIFUL, and family in the Hudson Valley area. I love Syracuse too! Used to go there alot. My family (while living in NY) did auto racing and we were up there often. All I can do is hope things turn around here in Vegas where it would be financially beneficial to make the move. Have to leave the guilt aside and do what we feel is right for our family. So my goal is by the time my son is ready for school......we're someplace else. How long have you been in the Vegas area?

[jrice]

Originally Posted by tt6351

WOW, I'm not alone??!! lol. I agree with you about the stimulus here. Although the main thing is how a you raise your child, the surroundings contribute alot to the outcome....I feel. So who knows, right now at this moment it's not in the picture to move right away. Since my son is only 2, I'll give myself a little time. Our hometown would be out of the picture as well....taxes are out of this world there! And we also have family in the Pike County area of PA, which is an easy commute for visiting, jobs, etc. Not to mention BEAUTIFUL, and family in the Hudson Valley area. I love Syracuse too! Used to go there alot. My family (while living in NY) did auto racing and we were up there often. All I can do is hope things turn around here in Vegas where it would be financially beneficial to make the move. Have to leave the guilt aside and do what we feel is right for our family. So my goal is by the time my son is ready for school......we're someplace else. How long have you been in the Vegas area?

Since 2003. If I were single I would like it more but its just not a great place to raise a child. And crime is getting alot worse also. I am not naive I am well aware crime is everywhere but it seems this town just somehow breeds it, and people for the most part are snobbish here as well. Remember that week during the past school year where there was a shooting a day in and around the high schools--NYC isnt even that bad. And unlike most of the cities back east where there were good and bad sides--like in Syracuse the South and West sides were bad, everywhere in Vegas crime can get bad--except in places like Seven Hills where the rich people live. I am hoping to be in PA by start of school year.

How long you been in Vegas? Did you learn spanish yet?