Thank you Nova!! Great Place to Grow Up (tax, living)

[normie]

Originally Posted by Caladium

That's ok, you can still see nature even if you live close to DC. According to a few recent posts, the cicadas sing loud enough in Alexandria that you can hear them over the roar of traffic. And deer have been seen at the Smithsonian.

I think the cicadas have finally sung their last song for the season. Now it's time for the grackles to arrive. Nature always has someone coming in and someone moving out... just like the people here.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Unless you grew up in NYC, LA or one of America's big cities the diversity will be a shock to your system no matter where you come from.

...Or the military. I am a military brat, born and raised in military bases in the USA. When I grew up, everyone around me was from a different part of the world, bi-racial, or tri-racial. I thought that was the norm.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

...Or the military. I am a military brat, born and raised in military bases in the USA. When I grew up, everyone around me was from a different part of the world, bi-racial, or tri-racial. I thought that was the norm.

I'm a military brat myself and maybe its because i spent most of my parents military time at Langley AFB in Hampton Roads but I don't remember any base as freaky diverse as anything in Northern VA. Same thing of when i visited Ft. Knox last year.

Military areas do have noticeably high diversity but not like Northern VA.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by South Jersey Styx

...Or the military. I am a military brat, born and raised in military bases in the USA. When I grew up, everyone around me was from a different part of the world, bi-racial, or tri-racial. I thought that was the norm.

You might be right about this. Certainly Ft. Belvoir is extremely diverse.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by dlumpen

I'd like to add one more, specifically for the exburbs. When I lived closer to DC, I never saw turtles, fireflies, the moon, or the stars. I even wondered of fireflies had gone extinct in metro area (which they apparently have in some parts of town). Now I see all of these and recognize constellations that I haven't seen since I was a child at home.

Odd... I live in Alexandria and see fireflies (lightning bugs, in my world) every summer in my yard, I had a family of baby rabbits in the yard last spring, I've seen possums in Arlington and Alexandria, foxes in Alexandria, I can go to Huntley Meadows park for all the turtles and snakes I desire to see, and I see the moon every night. You know, I think I even saw the moon when I lived in the District .

But the stars - you're right. I remember spending a week in West Virginia and sleeping out in a field - now that was a star-filled sky!

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

Odd... I live in Alexandria and see fireflies (lightning bugs, in my world) every summer in my yard, I had a family of baby rabbits in the yard last spring, I've seen possums in Arlington and Alexandria, foxes in Alexandria, I can go to Huntley Meadows park for all the turtles and snakes I desire to see, and I see the moon every night. You know, I think I even saw the moon when I lived in the District .

But the stars - you're right. I remember spending a week in West Virginia and sleeping out in a field - now that was a star-filled sky!

Great post, I totally agree. For such an urban area, Nova has a lot of wildlife. BTW, I saw my first grackel the other day. Seems a little early but OTOH November is almost here.

[AnalyzeThis]

Originally Posted by Ebck120

I grew up in Nova, and went to Robinson for highschool. After having lived in NYC, Chicago, Florida, and now Atlanta I realize what a great place Nova was to grow up.

Nova offered the suburban lifestyle of a house with a backyard but at the same time the diversity and sophistication of a great city in that backyard!!

I really enjoyed growing up being able to learn about so many different cultures whether it be northern, southern, indian, korean, vietnamese, ethiopian, etc. The school system was some of the best I've seen in the nation as well with the public services!!

I've come across many people and places that do not have half the advantages I did just by growing up there!

just wanted to give Nova a shoutout!!

It's refreshing to hear someone start a post with positive things to say about the area! I think diversity is so important and we certainly have alot of it around here!

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by AnalyzeThis

It's refreshing to hear someone start a post with positive things to say about the area! I think diversity is so important and we certainly have alot of it around here!

Amen. You know, you don't really realize how diverse our area is until you go somewhere else. We just came back from a trip to Buffalo and it really felt odd to see so many people looking and acting the same.

It made me realize diversity isn't just about racial issues. It's about having a variety of attitudes and lifestyles. And as a recent thread pointed out, even the way we drive in traffic is diverse! I like Buffalo but everyone there seemed to march in step and say the same things and think the same things. It got a little eery after awhile.

I'm happy to be back home in Nova, land of 100 different points of view.

[firefly2009]

I cannot say how happy I am to read this post. My family and I are relocating to the NOVA area due to a job offer in Fairfax. We aren't necessarily unhappy where we are, but we travel a lot and we realized now that our daughter is going off to college that we want our younger sons to experience more diversity, more culture and just "more" in general. Our kids have had "normal" suburban upbringings complete with picket fences, but we are constantly aware that here in the midwest there is a mentality that will put our children at a distinct disadvantage in the long run. My husband will actually take a temporary pay cut and we will likely have to get used to being in a townhouse or condo that is 1/2 the size of the homes we've afforded in the past, but we believe strongly that there are just some things you can't put a price tag on. Diversity is one of those things. The demographics in our children's schools are almost laughable when I listen to these posts. Most schools in our area are at least 90% white, maybe 8% black (if you're in a really "diverse" area) and the other 2% could be divided up amongst remaining ethnicities. I am ecstatic to hear all these positive remarks for a change. THANK YOU to whoever started this post!!

[Ebck120]

^ No problem at all.....

Nova is a privileged area whether people like it or not. If you just compare it to most other suburbs its clearly obvious!!