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I am curious about what you all chose. I am now considering Chappaqua as well on the lower end of the housing market so I have the same concerns. But you know it is all relative. I live in Madrid [...]
Well, that's going to be a change for sure. I'm sure your kids know how to speak English, but the change is going to be brutal. And the older the kids are the worse it will be.
^^I think "brutal" is a little dramatic - people here are generally very nice and welcoming and there are plenty of Europeans living in the area. Most parents here are transplanted from NYC or some other metro area and are savvy, cosmopolitan people who choose to live here to enjoy the natural beauty and focus on their kids and their community. I am not a stay-at-home mom and have had no problems making friends with other working moms (which is the prevailing situation on my street and I would say well over 50% of my daughter's classmates have 2 working parents). We take the train together, arrange weekend playdates, take turns driving to/from after-school programs, etc. Chappaqua is a large enough community that you should be able to find a niche of people in a similar socio-economic situation and not have to worry about competing with the upper echelon of wealth.
There is a certain snobbish element in Chappaqua. I'm sure is exists in many towns, and some more than others. The fact is, there really are no "bad" or "undesirable" parts of Chappaqua. There are no drug-dealing neighborhoods, or neighborhoods filled with rusted cars sitting in front years.
Traditionally, the Millwood part of Chappaqua had the reputation of being a bit more working class, but this has gotten less so in recent years.
We live in the townhouses in Chappaqua. I've heard that teenagers refer to the townhouses as the "Ghettos of Chappaqua." This does bother me, and I hope my children aren't affected.
Point is -- I wouldn't worry about the neighborhood, I'm sure it's a perfectly good neighborhood. But if you care about the perception of certain Chappaqua cliques, it could be a reason to avoid Chappaqua altogether.
Doesn't Vanessa Williams' parents live in Millwood?
Well, that's going to be a change for sure. I'm sure your kids know how to speak English, but the change is going to be brutal. And the older the kids are the worse it will be.
Have you been living in Spain long?
I have been in Madrid for 8 years and my children will be 5 and 3 when we go. I think it will be an adjustment but at their ages I think they'll be ok.
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