Are there any neighborhoods where kids play anymore? (Leesburg: house, backyards)

[Dazed&Confused]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

80% ESL? Wow.. just wow... In most areas of the country, 600k will buy a home in the best school district in town. Here it will barely get students english speaking peers. I need to get the hell out of here.

Well, you could always trade places with me! I moved to Northwest Alabama almost four years ago and have been wishing I was back home for about the last three. As a matter of fact, I made a post after I moved here about how wonderful it was. The dew soon fell off that rose. Reading it now makes my stomach turn. 600K will get you a mansion and you'll have nothing but fellow English speaking residents. Your property taxes are almost nothing. However, you'll give up a lot here, too. Like anyone to talk to who is semi-intelligent, decent grocery stores, restaurants, and interesting things to do. Let's see... oh, your children are in danger of being paddled at school here, too. Children have no rights. This is right smack in the middle of the Bible belt where kids are to be seen and not heard. We don't have enough doctors, politicians are openly corrupt, there is no public transportation. And decent employment opportunities? Fuhgedaboutit. In our local paper last year there was a story, I'm not kidding here, about a business that was robbed of a corn dog and an orange Nehi. That's big news here, I guess. I could go on but I think you get the idea. You know what they say. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Dazed&Confused

Well, you could always trade places with me! I moved to Northwest Alabama almost four years ago and have been wishing I was back home for about the last three. As a matter of fact, I made a post after I moved here about how wonderful it was. The dew soon fell off that rose. Reading it now makes my stomach turn. 600K will get you a mansion and you'll have nothing but fellow English speaking residents. Your property taxes are almost nothing. However, you'll give up a lot here, too. Like anyone to talk to who is semi-intelligent, decent grocery stores, restaurants, and interesting things to do. Let's see... oh, your children are in danger of being paddled at school here, too. Children have no rights. This is right smack in the middle of the Bible belt where kids are to be seen and not heard. We don't have enough doctors, politicians are openly corrupt, there is no public transportation. And decent employment opportunities? Fuhgedaboutit. In our local paper last year there was a story, I'm not kidding here, about a business that was robbed of a corn dog and an orange Nehi. That's big news here, I guess. I could go on but I think you get the idea. You know what they say. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

Great post. Nova has a lot of positive qualities that people tend to take for granted until you move away. I used to live in Portland, and sometimes I really miss the mountains. But then I remember there were quite a few things I didn't like about living in Portland, small things perhaps but things that (for me) make life much better here in Virginia.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by Dazed&Confused

Well, you could always trade places with me! I moved to Northwest Alabama almost four years ago and have been wishing I was back home for about the last three. As a matter of fact, I made a post after I moved here about how wonderful it was. The dew soon fell off that rose. Reading it now makes my stomach turn. 600K will get you a mansion and you'll have nothing but fellow English speaking residents. Your property taxes are almost nothing. However, you'll give up a lot here, too. Like anyone to talk to who is semi-intelligent, decent grocery stores, restaurants, and interesting things to do. Let's see... oh, your children are in danger of being paddled at school here, too. Children have no rights. This is right smack in the middle of the Bible belt where kids are to be seen and not heard. We don't have enough doctors, politicians are openly corrupt, there is no public transportation. And decent employment opportunities? Fuhgedaboutit. In our local paper last year there was a story, I'm not kidding here, about a business that was robbed of a corn dog and an orange Nehi. That's big news here, I guess. I could go on but I think you get the idea. You know what they say. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

Hmm, I hope this isn't a crystal ball for my move to Ft. Knox (BRAC). Even if KY don't work out, I refuse to give NoVA ANY consideration to move back. I'd think Jacksonville, Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbus, and even back home to Hampton Roads. There is more to the country to than where you moved to and came from.

[mississippimagnolia]

We live in Burke and the kids play outside all the time. I have a hard time getting them in when it gets dark. There are tons of kids in our neighborhood.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Hmm, I hope this isn't a crystal ball for my move to Ft. Knox (BRAC). Even if KY don't work out, I refuse to give NoVA ANY consideration to move back. I'd think Jacksonville, Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbus, and even back home to Hampton Roads. There is more to the country to than where you moved to and came from.

I totally agree! Try out a bunch of places. (And, IMO, it's even better if you try to pick different sorts of places.) That's what I did when I was your age and I never regretted it.

There's time enough to pick a favorite place, or maybe someday head back to home. But no need to do that in your early 20s. This is the time to explore.

[Dazed&Confused]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Hmm, I hope this isn't a crystal ball for my move to Ft. Knox (BRAC). Even if KY don't work out, I refuse to give NoVA ANY consideration to move back. I'd think Jacksonville, Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbus, and even back home to Hampton Roads. There is more to the country to than where you moved to and came from.

Well, if it's any consolation, I really don't think this area could compare to any of the places you mentioned. This is a world all to itself. Yes, it's a big country indeed, but part of the reason I want to come back to NoVa is that I have all my family there, I grew up and lived most of my life there and it will always be home to me, the place to which all others are compared.

[mississippimagnolia]

Hmm, I hope this isn't a crystal ball for my move to Ft. Knox (BRAC). Even if KY don't work out, I refuse to give NoVA ANY consideration to move back. I'd think Jacksonville, Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh, Columbus, and even back home to Hampton Roads. There is more to the country to than where you moved to and came from.

I've lived all over this country. Literally in every region. This is our third, three year stay in the NOVA area. I wouldn't live here for any more than a couple of years at a time for all the money in the world.

We have several friends at Ft. Knox. They really like it. I've lived in the Raleigh area. We spent four years living in Clayton just a few miles from Raleigh. It was fantastic! Austin and Jacksonville are nice cities as well. By Columbus do you mean Columbus, Georgia? I loved Ft. Benning. Columbus, is ok. Charlotte wasn't one of my favorite places, but there are some nice areas.

Just something to think about...I've lived in rural Mississippi and rural Alabama. We loved it. I would move back to the deep south tomorrow if we had the chance. We also lived in the pacific northwest (Washington and Oregon) and loved it as well! And we liked Arizona and Nevada ok too.

The only place we've ever lived, including overseas, that we truly could not find one thing to like about...was Maryland. And to relate it to this thread...Germantown, Maryland is the only place we've ever lived where I didn't feel safe letting my kids play outside without me with them.

[Dazed&Confused]

Magnolia, you can take my place anytime, lol! I have family that live in other places in Alabama that are more rural and I would probably like it much more there than here in The Shoals, but they're farmers and can make a living out in the boonies.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by mississippimagnolia

I've lived all over this country. Literally in every region. This is our third, three year stay in the NOVA area. I wouldn't live here for any more than a couple of years at a time for all the money in the world.

We have several friends at Ft. Knox. They really like it. I've lived in the Raleigh area. We spent four years living in Clayton just a few miles from Raleigh. It was fantastic! Austin and Jacksonville are nice cities as well. By Columbus do you mean Columbus, Georgia? I loved Ft. Benning. Columbus, is ok. Charlotte wasn't one of my favorite places, but there are some nice areas.

Just something to think about...I've lived in rural Mississippi and rural Alabama. We loved it. I would move back to the deep south tomorrow if we had the chance. We also lived in the pacific northwest (Washington and Oregon) and loved it as well! And we liked Arizona and Nevada ok too.

The only place we've ever lived, including overseas, that we truly could not find one thing to like about...was Maryland. And to relate it to this thread...Germantown, Maryland is the only place we've ever lived where I didn't feel safe letting my kids play outside without me with them.

Actually I was talking Columbus, OH but Columbus, GA wouldn't be bad for me either.

Three terms in NoVA? I'd never be able to stomach that.

Well, if it's any consolation, I really don't think this area could compare to any of the places you mentioned. This is a world all to itself. Yes, it's a big country indeed, but part of the reason I want to come back to NoVa is that I have all my family there, I grew up and lived most of my life there and it will always be home to me, the place to which all others are compared.

I can defintely want to understand coming back for family. I'd love to see my extended family more. By moving to Knox we actually go from a 28 hour ride to a 10 hour ride from one side of the family in East TX.

To get back on topic, maybe I don't see many kids playing in my neighborhood because my street is a busy one and mostly high-rise apartments.

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by bornindc

I think you mean Mantua?

LOL...Yes, I do. Didn't catch the typo. Thanks for catching it.