Moving in a month-- What I'll miss and won't miss about NEPA (Pittsburgh: transplants, crime)

[warren zee]

Hi NEPA folks: Well this will probably be my last post on the NEPA forum before we move.
The things that I will miss most about NEPA are: 1. The Mountains (coming out of the store near Highland Blvd. and seeing the mountains. It makes you feel like you are on vacation. 2. Walking along the River Front (seeing how beautiful the Susquehanna River is on a beautiful fall day) 3. The homemade pirogi's made by the ladies of the local Churches. 4. Kaye's Restaurant (after a day of shopping at Holly Ross and antique dealers) 5. The cost of living 6. The architecture of Wilkes Barre's downtown and Historic area. 7. Some of the nicest and friendliest people that I met in real life. 8. The closeness to beautiful State Parks. 9. Being close to the Poconos and it's attractions, parks and shopping.
10. Only a few hours from N.Y.C.

Things that I won't miss about NEPA are: 1. The violent crime of the neighborhood, specifically on my street. I never lived in a neighborhood where you lived in fear. 2. I never lived in an area where there are so many "closed minded people". 3. There are no "real" diners. 4. Limited shopping in the downtown area of Wilkes Barre, and having to go the Wilkes Barre Township for good shopping. 5. People set in their ways, and not allowing outsiders in.

I want to say good-bye to all that have friends of ours. Warren

[bloominscranton]

Best of luck in your new home, I wish you all much happiness!

[colorfulchic83]

Wish you & yours success on your move. I think NEPA has been a learning experience for many of us transplants. Enjoy making your new house feel like home!

[J5K5LY]

Good luck to both of you. I also miss the mountains and the REAL woods, not scrub woods. I know you know what I mean. LOL Happily, there are real woods near me here but nothing beats the Pa woods. I understand all you will miss and what you will NOT miss. Please stop back here from time to time to let us know how you are!

[sheena12]

What a timely post! As a matter of fact, I am moving too!

I agree with all of the things that you will miss, Warren. Here are a few more of my own.

1. My church. What nice, loving and friendly people! Although I am new to the area, I was given the opportunity to serve in an elected capacity. The Pastors are wonderful people and I will really miss my church!

2. Boscov's! It's not every day that you get to go shopping in 1965! Everything from the announcements to having a luncheonette in a department store reminds me of my childhood

3. People who are generous in spirit and do not judge others by what they have or how they look.

What I will not miss

1. Bad to mediocre public schools

2. No place to complete my MA. Colleges that only teach business, teaching, nursing and other applied subjects.

3. People who do not value and are suspicious of education.

4. people who never leave the area. I had a moment with our son who almost wanted to go to college locally because his friends were all staying home. Now he is so glad that he went away, and is doing beautifully.
Sad, but his Valley friends are bored and want to leave. I doubt they ever will though, but I'm pulling for them!

A note about those kids - where do you get friends who want to all drive for FOUR HOURS in separate cars just because they want to surprise you at college? NEPA that's where.

[weluvpa]

Have fun!!! Good Luck with your potassium.

[Pa Dutch]

Originally Posted by sheena12

What a timely post! As a matter of fact, I am moving too!

I agree with all of the things that you will miss, Warren. Here are a few more of my own.

1. My church. What nice, loving and friendly people! Although I am new to the area, I was given the opportunity to serve in an elected capacity. The Pastors are wonderful people and I will really miss my church!

2. Boscov's! It's not every day that you get to go shopping in 1965! Everything from the announcements to having a luncheonette in a department store reminds me of my childhood

3. People who are generous in spirit and do not judge others by what they have or how they look.

What I will not miss

1. Bad to mediocre public schools

2. No place to complete my MA. Colleges that only teach business, teaching, nursing and other applied subjects.

3. People who do not value and are suspicious of education.

4. people who never leave the area. I had a moment with our son who almost wanted to go to college locally because his friends were all staying home. Now he is so glad that he went away, and is doing beautifully.
Sad, but his Valley friends are bored and want to leave. I doubt they ever will though, but I'm pulling for them!

A note about those kids - where do you get friends who want to all drive for FOUR HOURS in separate cars just because they want to surprise you at college? NEPA that's where.

Originally Posted by sheena12

Contrary to the strange rant of a post that encouraged a querent to flee the city of Wilkes Barre and to basically "run for her life.", there are plenty of people living, safe, happy and productive lives in this city.Lives that have nothing to do with drugs or violence.

Yesterday afternoon and evening were really lovely! After helping my high school aged children with homework a but, hubby and I went for a stroll through the Farmer's Market, sampling the rich offering of locally grown produce and regional ethnic fare. We as former NYers had never had a pastie,
a Welsh cookie, or pogash ( in case misspelled it, bread with cabbage and potatoes baked in.) We also picked up some wonderful Amish bread, a yummy herb rye bread, some tabouli, hummas, pumpkin whoopie pies and lots of crisp apples, winter squash and tomatoes.

Together we enjoyed our eclectic repast, after which DH and I strolled over to the Osterhaut (sp?) Library - a really beautiful building - to take in a lecture being presented by a historian about The Pennsylvania Dutch practice of Pow Wow it's roots in Europe and it's growth in the region.
I really was unaware that many PA Dutch lived in Luzerne county, but she was able to find a reported incident of a PA Dutch farmer who claimed that his pigs and cows had been hexed in the 18th century by a neighbor.
The names of the family as well as the town were redacted.
In attendance were many professional and academic types. The lecture was folloed by a lively and informed discussion, after which we walked home.

I am not writing this because I am self absorbed or anxious to inform you about the minutia of my life.
I am writing to tell you that I am tired of hearing negative reports and fear based hysteria from some ( not all) posters who persist in posting about the perceived flaws and danger of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre.

I invite others do do the same!

I guess you can see why people told you to flee the city. may you only have the very best of luck

[frank754]

Best of luck to you, Warren & Sheena, hope you made a wise choice and do well in your new surroundings. Nice of you to post and let us know how you are doing... do post again later to say hello to us once you are settled

[SteelCityRising]

Welcome in advance to the sort of outermost exurbs of Pittsburgh!

[weluvpa]

oh ok....

Originally Posted by sheena12

What a timely post! As a matter of fact, I am moving too!

I agree with all of the things that you will miss, Warren. Here are a few more of my own.

1. My church. What nice, loving and friendly people! Although I am new to the area, I was given the opportunity to serve in an elected capacity. The Pastors are wonderful people and I will really miss my church!

2. Boscov's! It's not every day that you get to go shopping in 1965! Everything from the announcements to having a luncheonette in a department store reminds me of my childhood

3. People who are generous in spirit and do not judge others by what they have or how they look.

What I will not miss

1. Bad to mediocre public schools
How would you know? Your kids allegedly went to private school and you only lived here for two years.

2. No place to complete my MA. Colleges that only teach business, teaching, nursing and other applied subjects.
Really? So your tellinmg me that nobody could get a useless Master of Arts degree here in NEPA with schools like University of Scranton, Marywood, Wilkes-University, King's College, Misericordia University, Penn State? Sounds to be me like you just couldn't get in to them or they were out of your league. I understand that they are not Stony Brook or Clark , but come on. Hell my sister completed a BA at the U of S and I know more then a few with MBA's from the school as well.

3. People who do not value and are suspicious of education.
Right, maybe it was just the crappy neighborhood you rented in Wilkes-Barre. Lets face it Madsion in that area is a dump and has been since I went to school in Wilkes-Barre 20+ years ago.

4. people who never leave the area. I had a moment with our son who almost wanted to go to college locally because his friends were all staying home. Now he is so glad that he went away, and is doing beautifully.
Sad, but his Valley friends are bored and want to leave. I doubt they ever will though, but I'm pulling for them!

A note about those kids - where do you get friends who want to all drive for FOUR HOURS in separate cars just because they want to surprise you at college? NEPA that's where.

Wow thats funny. My friends used to drive up here from the NJ shore to see me at Wilkes when I was in school and they were smart enough to carpool.