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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?
I'm just speaking of Americans moving around in America.
I think most people leave home for college, a job or military service. If you attend school locally, have a decent job in town (or the surrounding area) or you don't join the military, you probably don't leave. I know several people who lived their entire life in one location, both in NY and Maryland. They married a local person. They opened businesses in the area where they lived and thrived or found a career there. They joined organizations in the area. They raised families, there. They had family there. The only thing I think they lose out on is "seeing things for themselves." They rely on the media to shape their perspective of the rest of the country and I don't think the urban media is reliable in that regard especially in its depiction of middle America.
I lived in the Bronx for the first 7 years of my life. I left home (Suffolk County, Long Island) for college (DC) at 18 and when I quit college I stayed in DC for 3 years. I returned to Long Island, got married, began a career, got my college degree and lived there for 23 more years, only this time on Eastern Long Island. I got divorced and got a job (promotion) that took me back to the DC area only this time I lived in suburban Maryland (Annapolis corridor) for 12 years. When I retired two years ago, I moved to East Tennessee from Maryland because I had changed and Tennessee offered me the things I wanted to do in retirement as well as live well on my pension --- two things Maryland did not offer. So college, marriage, divorce, job promotion, and retirement prompted my moves.
I traveled to many states in all parts of the US for business and for pleasure. Some I liked (e.g., Ogden, Kansas City suburbs, Lake Winnipesaukee area of New Hampshire/mountain area of New Hampshire, Salt Lake City suburbs, Jacksonville Beach, Adirondacks (NY), Dallas suburbs, St Paul suburbs, Nashville/Brentwood suburbs, Indianapolis suburbs, Cumberland Gap area of Kentucky, Ithaca, most of suburban Delaware, the state of Maine, the state of West Virginia, small towns in [u]the western parts of Virginia, the eastern shore of Maryland, non-tourist parts of eastern Long Island).
Some I didn't like (e.g., Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Asheville, northern Virginia, Boston, Hartford, Miami, DC, Austin, NYC, St Louis, Detroit, the entire state of Vermont).
Some I liked to visit but wouldn't want to live there (e.g, San Antonio, Denver, Cincinnati, Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Philadelphia, Ft Lauderdale, Baltimore, Atlantic City, Memphis, the state of Oklahoma) for various reasons many having to do with weather, crime, traffic or tourism. I think I'd like Idaho but have never been there.
My friends who have stayed put in their home area, with one exception, have not seen most of the rest of the country. They tend to go to the same places on vacation every year, don't travel much or at all for work, don't get in the car and just drive more than 3 hours just to see what's out there.
Would I go back to the Eastern end of Long Island? Yes, probably will someday in my old age as most of my friends and my only relative are there.
If you like the place you're from, I can see why you might want to stay. But a lot of people don't like where they live, yet they stay because they're afraid to leave. I find that sad. I could never imagine only living in one place (although I suppose that would be impossible for me anyway since I am 17 and have lived in 2 places).
One question I must ask is how do you know you like the place you're from if you've never been anywhere else? Do you really like it, or is that just all you know? How do you know there's not another place that you would like even more?
Unfortunately a lot of people are like that... They think their area is good at something, then come on the boards defending it, all the while they have a very provincial view and do not know what is going on in other areas of the country/other countries.
I have travelled from the east coast to the west coast, and around Europe. I spent my summers as a child in the midwest. I lived in Florida for a short time as a young adult, although not because I particularly wanted to move there.
When you are born and raised in NYC and/or live very near it, why move anywhere else? Besides, what are vacations for?
I have travelled from the east coast to the west coast, and around Europe. I spent my summers as a child in the midwest. I lived in Florida for a short time as a young adult, although not because I particularly wanted to move there.
When you are born and raised in NYC and/or live very near it, why move anywhere else? Besides, what are vacations for?
Because NYC isn't for everyone. I've heard the saying "why vacation somewhere you like 1 week a year when you can live there year round"
If you like the place you're from, I can see why you might want to stay. But a lot of people don't like where they live, yet they stay because they're afraid to leave. I find that sad. I could never imagine only living in one place (although I suppose that would be impossible for me anyway since I am 17 and have lived in 2 places).
One question I must ask is how do you know you like the place you're from if you've never been anywhere else? Do you really like it, or is that just all you know? How do you know there's not another place that you would like even more?
I have lived in other places but I've seen much more by working in other cities. When they send me to a place, I'm there from 2-5 weeks at a time. Aside from working at businesses, I get to see residential neighborhoods so I get a good feel of the area. I have not found too many places that I would enjoy living in.Places that offer more than where I live now in terms of amenities/culture/food/etc like NYC, Boston, DC are great, but too expensive for me. Places that are cheaper than where I am now don't offer the culture/food/amenities. I haven't found too many other well rounded cities like mine.
I have lived in other places but I've seen much more by working in other cities. When they send me to a place, I'm there from 2-5 weeks at a time. Aside from working at businesses, I get to see residential neighborhoods so I get a good feel of the area. I have not found too many places that I would enjoy living in.Places that offer more than where I live now in terms of amenities/culture/food/etc like NYC, Boston, DC are great, but too expensive for me. Places that are cheaper than where I am now don't offer the culture/food/amenities. I haven't found too many other well rounded cities like mine.
I'm in Rochester. I travel to some great places for work, but they are too expensive. Even with a cost of living raise, I still would not be able to afford a comparable house. I also travel to cities that have a slightly lower cost of living such as Charlotte or Hampton Roads but they don't offer the food, culture, and character of where I am now. Then there are other places there are good, but it would be more of a lateral move. Like Providence.
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?
I grew up in a small town of 11,000 people in Eastern NM where they usually dont leave, they go to school there and raise their family there. A lot of people I know dont venture past West Texas. They just dont leave what is familiar to them.
This redneck that works with my dad is in his mid 30's and the furthest he has been is 20 miles up the road to Clovis,NM. He says he has never had a reason to go anywhere else. I have friends that havent been to Albuquerque in over 10 years.
Great places to raise a family, and close enough to a big city when you want it.
also suburbs there...aren't exactly what you find in FL...
suburbs in NYC... A-OK
suburbs here???
the cities feel "suburban" and the suburbs feel rural.
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That is what suburbs are for
