Have you ever walked away from everything and moved away from where you grew up? (Phoenix: section 8)

[dd94595]

I was wondering if anybody else has ever walked away from their life and took a leap of faith to try moving to a different state. Specifically I mean moving away from somewhere where you had a good job, your family was there, you spent your entire life there without ever living anywhere else.


What was your experience? Do you regret it? Did you end up moving back home? Would you do it again and why? Where did you move from and to?

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by wilkermoo

I was wondering if anybody else has ever walked away from their life and took a leap of faith to try moving to a different state. Specifically I mean moving away from somewhere where you had a good job, your family was there, you spent your entire life there without ever living anywhere else.


What was your experience? Do you regret it? Did you end up moving back home? Would you do it again and why? Where did you move from and to?

Yes. My wife and I did it. We were married in 1996 and we moved away from Las Cruces, NM and headed to Palmdale, CA in the summer of 1997. It was very rough at first because we both were raised in Las Cruces. Las Cruces is a small town and Palmdale is in Los Angeles County... So it was a major adjustment.

After the first two years of being home sick and away from family and friends we started to love Palmdale. It was small, crime free, and it was near all the So Cal attractions. We went to Dodgers games, Griffith park and the observatory, the zoo, the beach, Santa Monica, Magic Mountain, Disneyland, San Diego....We were living the California Dream.

As time moved on a population shift happened in the area and Palmdale /Lancaster started to grow and an outrageous pace. As more people moved in the traffic and crime increased. A lot of section 8 people started moving into the area and in a lot of cases the people just do not care about the properties they are renting. As time moved on we started to notice that people in California move around a lot. Whether it was back down below or back up north. Our friends were always moving away. We stuck it out because this had become our home and I had a good job.

Around 2000 my brother in law moved to phoenix...he had applied for a job in Phoenix and Palmdale. He got the job in Phoenix so there he moved. So we naturally started visiting and we liked Phoenix but resisted the urge to move there. As we visited more and more we realized that a lot of friends from Las Cruces now call Phoenix home... More of our family started moving to Phoenix as well. We still resisted the urge to move even though we were spending n average of two-three months a year in the area. As time moved on I started to notice all the negative the LA had bestowed upon Palmdale. Around Nov. 06 we decided that we would make the move to Phoenix. We planned it out correctly. We have a house in Surprise we bought. I have a good job waiting for me in Phoenix.

I can't say we regret moving to Palmdale because we really enjoyed California...we just do not enjoy it anymore. Family and friends have become a bigger priority then money at this stage in our life. 100% no regrets about moving from Las Cruces to Palmdale.

We will make our home in Phoenix for I do not know how long but I know in my heart that we will eventually end back in Las Cruces, NM (we will retire there). I'm looking forward to being in Phoenix year round now as opposed to three months per year.

If you are in deep thought about A major move then I know how you feel. You will be home sick, that is natural but I think it is a good experience and feeling to get out there and make it on your own. Sorry for the long post but I wanted to share my thoughts with you. And I will end with a big Go For It!

[millenniumman35]

I was born in Michigan, went to college, and had a job i really loved. Oddly it was all in the same town. For me it was a great experience, I had a huge extended family, alot of friends, and was well known. But with all that in mind it was also not so great at times. People always are were up in your business, family (although I love them), can add to much drama to your life. And things at work changed from when I started. In early 2004 I sold my house, and decided at that point it was time to try something new. We moved out west & stayed in Las Vegas w/ my mother in law. It was a little stressful finding a job at first, but I found a great opportunity in Arizona for a career, and housing was reasonable. So we moved, and things ended up being dramatic. All within my 1st year in AZ, I had a new job, new baby & a 3 yr old, and my wife tragically passed away. Everyone I knew & loved was in Michigan (except my mother in law in Vegas). After the funeral I wanted so badly to go back to Michigan w/my 2 kids, but I decided i would wait 6 mos before i would leave. I am glad I did because things are great for my family, and Michigan economy is terrible. I miss my friends, and family, but living somewhere new was like starting a new chapter of my life, and I've matured so much since moving here.

[moemommy]

Originally Posted by millenniumman35

I was born in Michigan, went to college, and had a job i really loved. Oddly it was all in the same town. For me it was a great experience, I had a huge extended family, alot of friends, and was well known. But with all that in mind it was also not so great at times. People always are were up in your business, family (although I love them), can add to much drama to your life. And things at work changed from when I started. In early 2004 I sold my house, and decided at that point it was time to try something new. We moved out west & stayed in Las Vegas w/ my mother in law. It was a little stressful finding a job at first, but I found a great opportunity in Arizona for a career, and housing was reasonable. So we moved, and things ended up being dramatic. All within my 1st year in AZ, I had a new job, new baby & a 3 yr old, and my wife tragically passed away. Everyone I knew & loved was in Michigan (except my mother in law in Vegas). After the funeral I wanted so badly to go back to Michigan w/my 2 kids, but I decided i would wait 6 mos before i would leave. I am glad I did because things are great for my family, and Michigan economy is terrible. I miss my friends, and family, but living somewhere new was like starting a new chapter of my life, and I've matured so much since moving here.

I am doing it next month. My husband and infant are moving from Boston to Arizona.
It's the hardest decision I have ever had to make. If we didn't have the baby it wouldn't have been as hard a choice, but to take him away from my family and have them miss out on his growth and milestones, is going to be really sad.
But on the other hand, my husband got a great opportunity within his company, we bought a great house- we wouldn't not have been able to even come close to what we got for the money in Boston.
It will nice to live in a warm climate and see new things.

We can always go home if we don't like it.

[jco]

I locked this thread because the OP already started this discussion under General U.S.