Tired of questions (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, California: middle-class, apartment, home)

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

well its not Long island.

Yes, and thank goodness. Even natives I know call it the unfriendliest place on Earth (not to say there aren't friendly people or good aspects, but Pittsburgh has offered more good experiences in six months than Long Island did in three years).

I think the best response to "But...it's Pittsburgh!" is "Exactly!".

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

Just wait until you get here. Then the questions will start all over again from the locals... "ewww, why did you move HERE?"

Lol..I still get that. When dh retired from the military we could have moved nearly anywhere. I took Pittsburgh over everywhere. Although dh was originally from here I was the one who suggested it. We got all kinds of negative responses. I thought I would like it here but I never knew I would love it or that we would succeed as well as we have.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I've been looking to move out of the country and I've heard so many times "why would you want to leave the US?"

Some people just don't get the fact that a massive change of scenery can be good for people.

We plan to retire in a third world country. Nobody understands that either.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by Hopes

We plan to retire in a third world country. Nobody understands that either.

My fiances parents are doing the same thing and I hope to do the same once I reach retirement age. Which one are you thinking of? Panama has recently made it easier to obtain residency....

[okaydorothy]

Oh we still get why did we come to the USA. ; after 26 years here!!

We are open to traveling anywhere and everywhere. It is such a great education and we love it. We havent told many, but we are going on a cruise later and will visit Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Amsterdam. It is great for the kids to see life outside the states.

But we do love the states ; just not Long Island anymore.

[Johnland]

To alot of people in the Philly area, Pittsurgh is 'out West somewhere'. While thery don't necessarily loathe Pittsburgh, it's just so outside the East Coast world, they're not really sure about it.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

We havent told many, but we are going on a cruise later and will visit Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Amsterdam.

That sounds like an awesome cruise! I'm currently planning a vacation. I haven't been able to decide where. The Netherlands is on my list because I lived in Holland as a child. My son wants to do Amsterdam and Switzerland, but for all the reasons a young adult wants to do Amsterdam and Switzerland. My list is long so it's likely we'll end up somewhere else entirely.

[Billy53]

I say enjoy Pittsburgh, its the best. I lived at the Beach for 15 years and I'm really glad to be back. I love the new growth of the city but I like the fact we are a well kept secret.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

But over time, I have come to think it is also a bit of defensiveness. People out East are killing themselves working long hours and barely making ends meet in order to live in not-so-great homes. There is a nagging feeling that if you played by the rules, things were supposed to be better than that (and in fact they were better than that within living memory).

Right. The media and our culture sells the West Coast, East Coast, and Chicago (and maybe Florida or Austin) lifestyle to our young people. They're told this is where it is fashionable to live, this is where young people live, this is where people have fun, this is where the beaches are, yada yada yada. It's on every TV show and on every song on the radio. That doesn't leave room for other cities that are not within those zones, such as Pittsburgh, Omaha, Akron, Indianapolis, Buffalo, etc., etc. These are considered "boring" cities, and my experience living in Michigan, having several friends in Ohio, and now Pittsburgh tells me that many of the young people are basically dying to move somewhere else. That is not to say everyone is, just that the common philosophy seems to be that life is better in New York, California, or Chicago, and that those are the only places worth living.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

We havent told many, but we are going on a cruise later and will visit Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Amsterdam. It is great for the kids to see life outside the states.

We did a Baltic Sea cruise like that once--it was a lot of fun. Tallinn is still one of my favorite places we have visited in our European travels.