Where all have you lived? Which area did you like the best? And,

[rafiki]

.

[battlemaiden]

Hawaii

 

Texas- Houston and Austin

 

Wyoming- Casper

 

Mount Vernon, Virginia

 

Japan

 

Winter Park, FL

 

Saratoga Springs, NY

 

New London, CT

 

Hawaii- again

 

Saint Paul, MN

 

St. Marys, GA

 

Stafford, VA

 

Hawaii- again

 

I have liked them all for different reasons. As for a place to settle down? That is the million dollar question in our family. It will definitely be on the east coast and somewhere south of Washington, DC- unless we could live in Pennsylvania. We loved Pennsylvania when we visited last year.

 

Jo

[Michelle T]

I've been in different parts, but never lived outside this county.

 

I like the fact that my family is here. I like the fact that I never have to deal with snow in the winter. I like the fact that within a couple hours drive, I can be in:

high mountains with snow in winter

the beach

the desert

big city

small town

 

The things I don't like:

very high housing costs

the area I'm in currently (north part of the county) has VERY long, hot summers. In fact, this week has still been around 90F.

traffic

 

Michelle T

[milovany]

West side of Washington state - born there and like it; not as rainy as its reputation, but overcast, yes. Busy, busy "feel" anymore.

 

East side of Washington state - went to college here and LOVE IT. In fact this is where we live now, and plan to stay.

 

Grand Canyon, Arizona - lived and worked in the national park for about 8 months one year. Liked it, but wouldn't want to stay in the southwest.

 

Bolivia, South America - married dh who was working with Food for the Hungry in Bolivia at the time. Very poor country. Our first son was born there.

 

Colorado Springs, Colorado - lived there for three years; was okay. The city is big and spread out; busy, busy. But we had some great friends who I still miss.

[runningirl71]

I'll play! I've lived in:

 

Kent, WA~This is where I was born

 

Hunington Beach CA~spent part of my child hood here. Loved the weather and being close to the beach.

 

Boring, OR; Gresham, OR~these are both close to Portland. When we lived in Boring, Mt. Hood was visible from our LR window. Very beautiful.

 

St. Louis, MO~lived in a quiet suburb. Memories here are friends made.

 

Chicago, IL; Wheaton, IL~ I moved to Chicago and LOVED it. I fell in love with city life while living in Chicago. AND if I had to pick a big city to live in, Chicago would be it.

 

Beijing, China; Yanji, China; Tianjin, China~You can't say you know what a crowd is until you've visited/lived in China!:) Loved, loved, loved living in "history," loved the food, the people, the language. The pollution really put a damper on living there though.

 

Seoul, South Korea~This is an asian city that never sleeps. People, people, people, everywhere! But, I absolutely love city life and enjoyed my time in Seoul. The food is FABULOUS!

 

South west IN~ This is where we live now. Small town, clear blue skies, simple life. We are definitely able to live our ideal here~me at home while the kids are young. We're still trying to get used to it after city life for so long.

 

My absolute favorite is probably Chicago, although I love the weather of the north west the best!

Edited October 30, 2008 by runningirl71

[unsinkable]

Hawaii

 

Texas- Houston and Austin

 

Wyoming- Casper

 

Mount Vernon, Virginia

 

Japan

 

Winter Park, FL

 

Saratoga Springs, NY

 

New London, CT

 

Hawaii- again

 

Saint Paul, MN

 

St. Marys, GA

 

Stafford, VA

 

Hawaii- again

 

I have liked them all for different reasons. As for a place to settle down? That is the million dollar question in our family. It will definitely be on the east coast and somewhere south of Washington, DC- unless we could live in Pennsylvania. We loved Pennsylvania when we visited last year.

 

Jo

 

Is your husband is on a nuclear sub?

[Carrie12345]

I live in rural PA, and I have lived in urban PA, suburban NJ, and urban NJ.

 

I miss suburban NJ. Access to everything, but plenty of elbow room.

 

My parents live just outside of Atlanta. I don't know how they do it. I feel very claustrophobic when I visit. That's in addition to feeling hot and sticky, lol.

[OnTheBrink]

Florida--I was an infant and don't remember it! LOL

 

Arkansas--Same as Florida

 

Texas--HOT. STICKY.

 

Kentucky--cold, but I have fond memories of it.

 

California--hot and dry, I thought people moved fast and there's a lot of shallowness (Hollywood, etc)

 

Missouri--Ick--although the Ozarks are beautiful.

 

Illinois--I love it here. It's the perfect blend of seasons, people are nice for the most part and I'm nicely situated between two cities.

 

Illinois wins! :D

[Once]

I'm sick today, so this is perfect distraction for me. I love to think about our past history. I have lived in....

 

Sarnia, Ontario - I loved our church there; real country feel.

Guelph, Ontario - The city had an artsy feel; relaxed and international.

Ottawa, Ontario - the festivals and museums.

Kingston, Ontario - I have few good memories from here but one of them was walking to the downtown area and eating ice cream. I personally found it a very socially closed city.

Kelowna, BC - Beautiful area for sunshine and fresh produce. Outdoor sports.

Poughkeepsie, NY - Slammin' Salmon, a place like no other! Sadly poor.

E Grand Forks and GF, MN and ND - People here are truly family oriented. Friendly but respectful of boundries.

 

Which is my favorite....that is a hard one. We are happy where we are. I loved Kelowna but I'm not sure I could live there anymore. So, this is home I guess. :001_smile:

[JudoMom]

I was born in Memphis, Tennessee and moved to Collierville, Tennessee when I was 10. I lived there until I was 20.

 

I love the trees. And the green grass. And the architecture. And the accents. And some of the people (:001_smile:). And the thunderstorms. And Krystal's hamburgers and Corky's barbecue.

 

I do not like the humidity. Or the heat. Or the bugs. Or the tornadoes.

 

When I was 20, I moved to Colorado.

 

I love the mountains. I love the 4 seasons. I love the snow. I love the lack of humidity. And some of the people (:001_smile:). I love the skies and the sunshine and the wildlife.

 

It never really gets truly, lushly green here. I don't like that. The wind irritates me at times. I don't like knowing there are rattlesnakes around here.

[LBC]

Well, I've almost always lived in the province of BC, except for 5 months when I first got married and lived in Edmonton, Alberta.

 

As a kid:

Victoria, BC - although I moved away from Victoria when I was only 5, both sets of grandparents lived there, so I've been back often. It's very beautiful. I love the climate most of all - not too hot, not too cold. The downside is that it's on an island, so you need to take a ferry to get anywhere.

Northern BC - Moved around a lot in the northern part of BC (Prince Rupert, Telkwa, Smithers, Terrace). Beautiful, forested area.

 

As an adult:

Okanagan Valley - I've lived in the beautiful Okanagan Valley for my entire adult life (Vernon and Kelowna). I love it here in Kelowna. We have hot summers and other than a few nasty weeks, the winters aren't too bad. We live near a large lake, vineyards and fruit orchards. We live within an hour's drive to three ski hills, two of which are world class ski resorts. Whenever I go away on a trip, I'm always so impressed when I return to Kelowna and see how beautiful it is here.

 

Lori

[Highereducation]

I've lived in:

 

Suburban NJ for the majority of my life

 

NYC for a brief year while attending performing arts school.

 

I used to like NJ better than I do now. It's getting more congested, more built-up and more expensive than ever.

 

I loved living in the city, but I don't think I could ever do it again. It was great to be able to walk outside any given hour of the day or night and know that something was always going on, there was always food available and there was just something about the place that's electric. On the other hand, I lived there during a tremendous snowstorm, and I'll never forget the feeling of walking down to Lincoln Center in the falling snow without seeing another soul for blocks. I love taking my dd there now and seeing it all through her eyes. I'm always glad to get back to the semi-quiet in Jersey, though!

[lynn]

Methuen, Massachusetts

 

Scuzzy, icky, humid West Palm Beach, Florida

 

Huntsville, Alabama

 

Hammdon, CT

 

Suwanee, GA

 

Tucson, AZ

 

I hated living in Florida...obvious isn't it.

 

I loved the change of seasons of New England and all there is to there.

 

I loved living in Tucson. The desert is beautiful, no humidity, Mts everwhere. Loved it!

[milovany]

The downside is that it's on an island, so you need to take a ferry to get anywhere.

 

That's an "upside" to me, lol! I love riding the ferry -- I grew up going to visit relatives on Vancouver Island at least once each year so I have very fond memories of ferry rides. Even now (we live on the east side of Washington state), I try to get at least one ferry ride in each year.

[Parrothead]

As a kid:

San Diego, CA

Pennsylvania

Ohio

Groton, CT

Napels, Italy

Browns Mills, NJ

Albany, NY

Charleston, SC

 

As an adult:

Georgia two different places

Back to Charleston, SC

Yuma, AZ

eastern MT

Maine

 

We are hoping to live in VT some time in the next few years. I like my times in New England best.

 

Not directly but I have been from Maine to Miama, SC to San Diego, AZ to MT by way of Idaho then from MT to ME. I wish we had had time to go from AZ to Washington state. It is the only corner I've missed.

[mommaduck]

South Carolina: Southern, very southern. It's home.

 

Washington: Nice. The mountains are glorious (when Helens isn't having her occasional fit). The trees, the land...and a lot of nice people live there.

 

Guam: Loved it! Must be okay with bugs and lizards ;) The sky is unbelievable, the food excellent, and there is a sense of community. It was my second home as a child.

 

Illinois: Despise it! Refuse to step foot in that state EVER. AGAIN. Hubby was born and raised in that state and he doesn't even intend on ever going back unless it's for his dad's funeral. No offense to anyone here, but in my experience, the people are know-it-all, nosey, keep up with the jones or you are "neglecting" your family, not open to variety of living.

 

Pennsylvania: PA Dutch Country. It's nice. This area of the state is a bit insulated from the economical issues as it's culture is relatively independent. People mind their own business. Differing beliefs are accepted. It has some down home atmosphere mixed with east coast to each their own. There is a mix of people and for more variety...well, you have from NYC to DC to explore :)

Edited October 30, 2008 by mommaduck

[mazakaal]

I've lived in

 

New York, just north of NYC - spent my whole childhood there, enjoyed it but of course thought it was too boring when I was in high school

 

Upstate New York for just a year of college - liked the snow

 

Williamsburg, VA - for the rest of college - didn't like the humidity in the summer, loved the change of seasons with snow, but not too much, loved the history, too many tourists

 

South Florida - for my young adult life - too much heat, too much humidity, too many people, can't think of much that I actually liked there

 

Moscow, Russia - for just a year - loved the culture, loved what we were doing, but it is (or at least was then) a somewhat depressing place

 

Cape Town, South Africa - for just a few months, but I had to include it because I absolutely loved it - loved the people, loved everything about it (except the crime)

 

Devon, England - for the past 8 years - love what we're doing here, but don't really like the place - too much rain, too much clouds, too little to do (we live in a fairly remote place), people keep to themselves so much that I feel very isolated, but I do love the countryside, the wildflowers, the Devon clotted cream, and the things to see that are further away from us, when we can manage to travel a bit.

 

Favorite place - that would be tough - I loved Williamsburg, but I think the heat and tourists in the summer would get to me if I lived there long-term. And I loved Cape Town, but I'm sure it would be difficult to live there long-term also.

[TammyinTN]

Franklin County, VA

 

Buies Creek, NC

 

Fayetteville, NC

 

Seoul, South Korea

 

Barstow, CA

 

Fort Irwin, CA

 

Fort Meade, MD

 

El Paso, TX

 

Fort Bliss, TX

 

Wurzburg, Germany--by far the best place we have ever lived. Love it!!! Would move back in a heart beat.

 

Heidelberg, Germany

[caitlinsmom]

Utah- The mountains are beautiful there.

Idaho- I like that life revolves around the seasons. very setteling

California

Colorado

Oregon- We lived in Beaverton, Gresham, and Portland. I LOVE the northwest and would love to go back there. This is my favorite place I have lived. I liked the laid back atmosphere, the weather, the color, the smell (for the most part). Very fav. place.

 

Maine- The place I would go if I could. I havent ever been there but for lack of a better word it "calls" to me.

[King Alfred Academy]

Born and raised in Iowa (18 yrs.)...learned to appreciate the beautiful farmland after I moved!

 

Went to college in Kansas (5 yrs.)...near KCity...liked the city (the Plaza!)

 

Met dh in the Puget Sound area of WA (total of 5-6 yrs.)...LOVE WA! The mountains, the ocean, the greeness, the rain!

 

Moved to MI (5 mo.)...the state is beautiful and we liked the places we visited. Didn't like the extremely small town we lived in.

 

Nashville, TN (total of 7-8 yrs.)...didn't like the humidity, but liked most everything else...the hills, the city, our beloved church.

N. California (2 mo.)...love the environment, minus the constant sunshine (although that seems to be changing :001_smile:), so much to do here outdoors, love the ocean...won't get into what I don't like about it though

 

My favorite place would have to be Pugetopolis!

[momof165]

Grew up in Germany (Schweinfurt und Wuerzburg - lived there for 27 years)

after that it was

Kentucky

Kansas (moved around in KS quite a bit for about 10 years)

now it is

Commerce City, CO

 

Favorite part to live: EUROPE

 

The funny part - we are not even military and had to move around that much. :001_huh:

 

Sonja

[clwcain]

New Orleans -- loved it, but since Katrina there's even less of an economy to support a family on than there was when I left for college in the mid-1990s

 

Philadelphia, PA -- I was there for 6 miserable years. Filthy, unfriendly, nasty weather...need I go on?

 

Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex -- I've been here for most of the last 13 years. Moved here for college; settled here to raise my family. Good economy, tolerable weather.

 

Lubbock, TX -- spent 18 months in grad school. There are a few things I'd go back to visit, but I never want to live there again. Flat, dusty, boring, dusty...did I mention dusty? Largest settlement for 600 miles and I'm a city boy. Need any more be said?

 

Rome, Italy -- I lived here for about 6 months. I'd move back in a heartbeat if I could afford it. Someday...

[JFSinIL]

Redlands, CA

Oxen Hill, Maryland

Orange County, CA

San Francisco

West LA

Venice, CA

Evanston, IL

Rogers Park, IL

Elgin, IL

 

I would live in San Francisco again in a heartbeat!!!!! But can't afford it :-(

[GailV]

Indiana. Mostly northern, but also in Evansville for several years. Nice people, but sometimes the weather can stink. Very central for visiting relatives.

 

New Hampshire. Gorgeous, like living in a park. We were sick of the snow by the time we left -- it was May and still huge mounds of snow in the parking lots. Also, people tended to be, shall we say, reserved.

 

Maryland's Eastern Shore, but very briefly.

 

Dover, Delaware. Beach nearby! Also, discovered the advantages of living near an AF base.

 

Ohio, small town up in northwest. Very flat and windy. Typical small town advantages and disadvantages. Best library we ever had.

 

St. Louis, MO. Worst of all possible worlds as far as weather -- people die of the heat in the summer and of the cold in the winter. Humid. Lots to do, great homeschooling support. Four feiseanna in town every year so we can compete without traveling (that's an Irish Dance competition).

[elegantlion]

Grew up in Kansas City, MO suburbs. Lived near Parkville, MO which is typical small river town, loved going there.

 

Moved to Overland Park, KS when I got married - love the accessibility to anything and everything, hated the traffic

 

Moved to northwestern MO - loved the antique downtown right on the river. 5 minutes to shopping, 5 minutes to the park, ran into people I knew (and liked) almost every time I went out. Missed the character of that city.

 

SW Louisiana - I love that it doesn't snow, ice or get cold enough to have to bundle up. Love my yard, it's a nature habitat of its own. Though we are in the suburbs of the city there isn't much to do close, which is a source of frustration. We are one hour to the beach (heaven) and that makes up for it.

 

We will never live where it snows on a regular basis again. My dh hates layering and I will never again own a turtleneck. :D:D

[LizzyBee]

Accident, MD - small town in the foothills of the Appalachians (250 people in town, we lived 5 miles outside of town), more snow than Fairbanks and Anchorage but not quite as cold, gorgeous in the fall, very few good jobs, low crime rate, good schools, good people

 

Baltimore, MD - love the excitement of a city and being close to everything, love the diverse restaurants and people

 

Ft Walton Beach, FL - too dang hot

 

Okinawa - beautiful but too far from home

 

Raleigh, NC - We actually live in the center between 5 towns outside of Raleigh. Boring weather, boring restaurants, but our kids have been much healthier here than in Baltimore - apparently pollution was a trigger for dd14's asthma. Much lower crime rate than Baltimore, low housing costs relative to the number of good jobs available and if you live outside of Raleigh or Cary. Lots of homeschoolers and support groups.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Philippines-don't remember

 

Massachusetts- don't remember

 

Germany- remember very little

 

Maryland- mostly remember my friends, indifferent about the area

 

Puerto Rico- adored the beach and the mountains, playing outside year round, swimming, hibiscus, flamboyan trees, rice and beans, tiny sweet bananas, guavas- yum. I hated to leave.

 

Florida- hot, humid, Disney World, the Everglades, NASA, Key West, swimming, beaches.

 

Sicily- The food was heavenly, a great cultural experience, but I felt isolated.

 

Tennessee- Hot, humid, crepe myrtle trees, the Mississippi River, hot, humid.

 

Pennsylvania- pleasant for the most part but crowded, 4 distinct seasons, Philadelphia was dirty and scary. (1986)

 

Virginia- Hot and humid in the summer, damp and cool in the winter, very historic, many things for many people.

[Jennay]

Since I've only lived in the DC suburbs my whole life (except for 4 years of college in WV - but right across the river from MD!) I'm enjoying this thread. It's so interesting to know a little about all these different places.

 

Anyone lived in Alaska?

[sassenach]

grew up in inland SoCal- busy, concrete, fake, great weather

 

Lived in the high desert of California- Liked it more than I thought I would. Loved the military community that we were part of there. Don't think I'd like it much outside of the Marines. It was the type of place that you would drive 30 min and walk around Walmart for something to do on the weekend.

 

New Orleans- my first southern exposure. Great people, ugly place. Heavy dose of racism- coming from SoCal, that was a shocker. We go back and serve in the intercity every summer, but I would not want to live there.

 

Orlando- Lived there for most of my adult life. Love, love, love the people. Great community. Perfect balance of city and suburbs. Great hs community. I MISS it!!

 

NorCal- Beautiful, lush, redwoods, beaches, wildlife, just unbelievably beautiful. Hippies, occult, very fickly, consumer oriented. Some really amazing people sprinkled in. Not many hs opportunities, but very friendly hs community. This area is different from SoCal in the sense that it doesn't move as fast or feel as crowded. There is a lot of agriculture and I love the fresh local produce. I'm currently trying to bloom where I'm planted.

[Chloe]

Except for the summer humidity and winter wind, I think it's a pretty nice place to live. I grew up 40 minutes from the beach. I'm about an hour and a half away now, but we also have the Pocono Mountains close by for skiing, DC an hour away, NYC two hours away, Philly 1/2 hour away and Amish Country an hour away. Lots to choose from. Homeschooling is also very easy here, only an attendance requirement.

 

Having said that, dh and I are seriously thinking about moving. We'd like to experience living somewhere else. We're thinking somewhere out west would be nice.

[laughing lioness]

grew up in Oh- loved it. Still love it.

As an adult I've lived in IN- pretty slow outside of the cities

CT- LOVE New England- all of it.

CA- LOVE the west coast. I miss the mnts and oceans and being in on the cutting edge of everything. Glad we are not living there with our kids- too much crime, smog and street people.

NM- hot, dry, isolated.

SD- big, clear skies. Good place for young families and small kids- not so hot for older kids. We love our property and church. I dread the winters but somehow manage to live through them year after year:) Spring and fall here are glorious!

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

Mid-Hudson Valley of NY- beautiful hiking in the Catskills, excellent fine arts exposure both in the City and in our area (great local theater, dance instruction), pizza and calzones to die for. Bagels. Bread. Cookies. I miss the times my dad would take us down to see shows, and the ballet. On the flip side, the city has crept up and some of the areas are just getting dingy and expensive.

 

Pennsylvania (Harrisburg area)- pleasant landscape, Amish & Mennonite culture. Harrisburg was a charming little city, from my limited exposure. Philly was a little rough. Enjoyed Chinatown.

 

Maryland (Baltimore area)- INSANE traffic on the beltway, humid, tic-ville, fun Inner Harbor to visit with visiting family or friends, beautiful early spring with flowering trees and shrubs in the woods, tantalizingly close to the ocean but it took hours through many traffic jams to get there, not many lakes to swim in to relieve the summer heat.

 

South Eastern Wisconsin- LOVELY people, great affordable neighborhoods, good library system, excellent healthcare, at the time at least not a lot of ethnic diversity, large selection of churches including Elmbrook Church which had women's outreach that saved my life and sanity, SIDEWALKS, great coffee shops nearby, conveniences, many lakes. On the flip side, I found the culture a little ... um...lacking. But I admit I'm a snob about that, and teethed on Broadway, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Met. And I really missed the mountains and ocean. We had a wonderful 10 years there, and though we wanted to settle out East, we cried like crazy when we left. Precious folks there.

 

South Eastern New Hampshire- lived here over eight years. I feel "at home" here. I love hills and mountains and streams and woods. In under two hours we can be at the beach in Maine. In three to four hours, we can be in the White Mountains; less than two hours to grandparents in VT; about two hours from Boston and a reasonable distance to NYC though we have yet to go out that way from here. Beautiful old cemeteries, historic landmarks, quaint towns, wool shops, Harrisville Designs, stunning fall foliage, quite a few horse farms. I can buy wine at the grocery store. On the flip side- yes, people can be reserved until they get to know you--but, you know I think this stems from a historical president where the town crier would ask if folks were strangers whom the town would be responsible for if they were to be in need if they decided to stay there. Ice. Mud season. Late springs. Massachusettes drivers. Unless you are willing to travel, and love outdoor activities or antiquing, there really isn't a lot to do. EVERYTHING is a drive. Local health care so-so. We would need to drive to Nashua or Mass to get any ethnic diversity. I often say we need to take a field trip to Ikea so the kids can be around some non-white folks. There is a growing Brazilian population in Sommerville, MA, and my husband enjoys visiting the churches there. Anyway....

 

My dh and I love living in NH. But we will see where the Lord leads us when the chicks are out of the nest- maybe foreign missions? Maybe staying right here. ;-)

 

Please excuse my poor grammar!

 

Cindy

[Zelda]

Born in Saigon, lived there about 14 months. Don't remember it, obviously.

 

Moved to Ann Arbor, MI and lived on the U of Michigan campus while my dad finished law school (he was drafted before his final year).

 

Lived in a couple other cities of the Metro Detroit area for about 23 years. Except for a brief stint in...

 

Muncie, Indiana to live with my grandparents and go to college. (Moved back to Detroit after 18 months)

 

Moved to Burlington, VT for a boy.

 

Moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. Advice: if you don't want to stay here you'd better come in with a solid exit strategy...its hard to leave.

 

I've liked all of the places I've lived though not always while I was living there. I would move back to the midwest in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself. That's where I feel most at home.

[Dee22]

Northern New York

 

New Jersey

 

Louisiana

 

Ohio

 

Virginia

 

I still miss rural northern New York although I might not if I actually had to endure a whole winter. :001_smile:

[riada]

Virginia- Lots to see and do, very pretty

Western Oregon- very busy but great shopping opportunities

Eastern Oregon- Lots of outdoor activity options, small towns

 

Favorite is E. Oregon- typical born here, left at the first chance I had, and now came back to raise my family here.

[buddhabelly]

Deleted for privacy.

Edited October 31, 2008 by buddhabelly
TMI

[Jennifer in MI]

Grew up in Sturgis, MI. Didn't appreciate it until I moved away! Cute, small town - typical middle America - everyone knows everyone.

 

Went to college at Vassar - Poughkeepsie, NY. Loved the proximity to NYC after growing up in such a small town!

 

Moved to Boston, MA for my first job after college. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Boston. Friendly people, close to the ocean, etc.

 

Met dh and moved to Rosemont, PA for his job. We loved Rosemont. It was a quiet little suburb of Phila. We could go to the city easily, go to Amish Country easily, etc, etc.

 

Moved outside Pittsburgh (I won't mention the city so I don't offend anyone). I HATED it!!! It was so hard to break into a community where everyone had gone to grade school together and had most of their extended family still living there. It was extremely economically depressed. But, the hills are gorgeous and we did like Pittsburgh.

 

Moved to Grosse POinte, MI. I LOVE it here. People are GREAT. I love my city - we have waterfront resident-only parks that are BEAUTIFULLY kept, a great police/fire dept, just too many amenities to list here. Houses are beautiful and well-kept. I can't say enough good about it.

[LG Gone Wild]

Alexandria, VA

Some burb of Washington D.C

Chad

Upper Volta (I think it is Burkino Faso now)

McLean, VA

Morocco

Falls Church, VA

Barbados

McLean, VA

Centreville, VA

Gainesville, FL

Kenya

San Diego,CA

San Ysidro, CA

Anza, CA

...and now I am where I am

[Laura Corin]

I've lived:

 

Bristol, England: I loved the hills, the history and the architecture

Hull, England: I loved.... well, I enjoyed university, but didn't love the city

Perigueux, France: I loved the cultural experience and the food

Beijing, China: An extraordinary year. The city was grimy and the climate was challenging, but the social and political upheavals of the time were fascinating

Paris, France: just a wonderful place for wandering

Taipei, Taiwan: again, culturally very interesting, with amazing food, but the city was noisy, chaotic and polluted. I hear it's better now

Santa Clara, California: a difficult few years (unemployment, poverty, bureaucratic hassles) but we loved the country parks and Trader Joe's

London, England: bought our first house, had our first child - loved the house, the museums, the cultural opportunities

Hong Kong: loved the number of country parks just a stone's throw from the city, also the availability of household help. Hated the climate and the busyness of the city

Kunming, China: amazing cultural experience, wonderful climate

Fife, Scotland: countryside, cultural opportunity, great weather (yes, really). This might be my favourite, particularly for this time of life.

 

Laura

Edited October 30, 2008 by Laura in China

[teamturner]

I grew up in a small town along the Texas coast, south of Houston and thought it was great!

 

Colleged in Central Texas in the Hill Country and realized that I like hills! And the beautiful rivers!

 

After that...

 

Houston- loved being in a big city!

Dallas- While it's smaller than Houston, it is a great place to live.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL- got tired of the tourists and not having distinct seasons.

Houston again! Decided to move after I experienced 4 weeks of constant 108 degree temps! And the mosquitos!!!! It's more humid in Houston than South Florida. But the people there are wonderful and there's a lot to do.

Durham, NC- my absolute favorite. Small town feeling with so many trees and beautiful fall color. People there thought 97 was really hot! LOL! And while we were there we had at least 1 big snow a year! Didn't like the ice storm so much....

Dallas suburb- The cost of living is great in TX and we have tons of family here. Homeschooling is a breeze here and so much support and field trip opportunities.

 

I'd love to be back in North Carolina!!!!!

[jonesloonybin]

Born in Frankfurt, Germany

Lived in Budingen, Germany for 3 yrs. Don't remember.

Stockton, CA

Campbell, CA

Sacramento, CA

Campbell, CA

El Paso, TX - AWFUL! Dusty and barren and hot and awful crime...just a DEPRESSING place

Campbell, CA

Santa Clara, CA - All the CA locations had alot of things to do and I could take the bus all over..to the movies, mall, there was always something to do. But VERY crowded and I could not deal with all the traffic and people. Also, one town just blends into another...I feel really claustrophobic here.

Lebanon, OR - CULTURE SHOCK. I moved to this SMALL grass-seed town from CA at the age of 16. I had never seen girls chew tobacco before...or anyone for that matter. There was NOTHING to do and everyone already knew each other and you could not have friend that where in different "cliques" I will never move back!

Bend, OR - This was nice, alot of outdoor stuff to do..snow in the winter but it got HOT in the summer. High desert. But too far from airports and felt really cut off from the rest of the state.

Brookings, OR - loved living a block from the beach..better weather then most of Oregon but no OB/GYNs and had to be sent by ambulance or life flight for just about everything..not to mention the ONE road that went to the next town that had a small ER washed out EVERY year.

Albany, OR - Ok town..

Salem, OR - Met and married DH and had our youngest here. Our family is still in this area. It was a pretty nice town. Close to Portland but far enough away that it wasn't as crowded..but then there was a large influx of people moving in from CA and it just got so crowded and my daughter needed a specialist and we got tired of driving to Portland all the time. Wanted to move East.

Bath, ME - Our first time east. We had wanted to move to VT. but dh got a job offer in Maine..so we thought...that it was still New England and we loved VT and NH..how different could ME be...:lol: Boy was it different. I LOVED the land..the beaches all rocky and rugged and the trees and driving 5 min and you are in the forest and it feels like there is no one for miles. I loved the snow and the small towns but the people...they were HARD to get to know. We lived there 4 months before our neighbor even would wave back at us. 2 weeks before we left I found out that the neighbors host a play group every week..for girls my daughter's age. We were outside alot and nobody said anything. That and we were not prepared for the cost of heating oil and nobody wanted to talk to you as soon as they found out we were renting. But we spent more time outside here than ever in our live. We started Geocaching here. I would love to win the lottery and move to NH..a cross between VT and ME. I really loved being so close to the rest of New England.

Clayton, NC - Smaller town but very close to Raleigh. I just cannot BELIVE how NICE everyone is. This has been the perfect place to start our homeschooling life. There is so much to do and so many homeschool groups. I like being really close to a good airport and Duke Medical has been great for my daughter. The museums are free. I do not like the weather (too hot and humid) and I really do NOT like the BUGS!!! They are HUGE and there are a ton.

 

We will be here for a few years but then we are thinking that Idaho might be next..that is if we don't win the lotto..:lol:

[battlemaiden]

Is your husband is on a nuclear sub?

 

How'd ya guess? :D

[TraceyS/FL]

Born on the Central Coast of CA, left for 5-6th grade

 

Las Cruces, NM - 5-6th grade, really liked it there

 

Back to Central Coast till i went to college

 

Phoenix for 2 years of school - loved it!!

 

Back to the Central Coast until 5 years ago,

 

Central FL - about an hour NW of Orlando. Still pretty rural, lots of old people that dote on your kids when you go out to eat since they never see their grandkids! LOL!!

 

Overall, FL is home. I love the weather, the area and it's about perfect!

 

ETA: Really, i don't miss CA at all.... the wind, the marine layer, the in-laws - YUCK. Miss the food and my Grandma and some friends, but that is it and swear i'll never go back.

Edited October 31, 2008 by TraceyS/FL
i'm a dork and can't multitask tonight

[...................]

PA Dutch Country- I too loved the simple life. This is by far the best place I have ever lived. There is plenty of suburbia but also plenty of nearby farms, lots of open space, fresh air, seasonal changes, close enough to Philadelphia for educational day trips, lots of lakes and parks to swim and explore...I could go on and on. The winters can be tough though.

 

South Jersey outside of Camden- proximity to Philly was nice.

 

South Jersey shore- Loved the large beaches, and the quiet in off-season, and small-town feel and schools. Mild winters.

 

South Florida- Lots of educational opportunities - there are tons of museums, eco-centers, good libraries, etc.- and year-round fresh air. Even in the miserable hot summers, we still go to the pool every day and sometimes let the kids play outside at night. Really crowded.

[DB in NJ]

I *love* living in South Jersey. Taxes are killer here (over $10,000 a year for our property taxes), but that's the cost of living in paradise I guess :D

[1bassoon]

Fun stuff!

 

Born in Rochester, NY (Dad worked for Kodak!) - have no memories of it, but my 'rents say it's too cold. I tend to agree!

 

Moved to northern Ohio - til I was 9 - again, no strong memories. But it was close enough to visit my grandparents, a plus.

 

Central CT - from 9-15.

Southern CT - from 15-18

Western MA for college

Central CT (again) for first 13 years of our marriage - I have to say the plusses for New England are the beautiful fall scenery; the history; the people - once you're a friend, it's a friend for life. The minuses? Pace of life, cost of living $$$$$, and spiritual climate.

 

Birmingham, AL - since 2005. I love, love, LOVE the climate! And the cost of living. We've had some terrific biblical teaching, and love the very pro-family vision here. We've made some very fast friends in a very short amount of time. Watching the Body of Christ work in times of need has been nothing short of amazing. The minuses? Shallowness. "Bless your heart". People speaking kindly to dh's face, then stabbing him in the back a day later. Overall, the Christian "culture" is a double-edged sword. "You shall know a tree by its fruits".

 

Thanks for this - it was fun!

[Jennifer in MI]

I *love* living in South Jersey. Taxes are killer here (over $10,000 a year for our property taxes), but that's the cost of living in paradise I guess :D

 

 

Same here! Can you believe in suburban Detroit? But, we just challenged our property tax and WON!!! Our taxable value was cut by 1/3. I can't wait for the tax refund to come!!!

[1bassoon]

Same here! Can you believe in suburban Detroit? But, we just challenged our property tax and WON!!! Our taxable value was cut by 1/3. I can't wait for the tax refund to come!!!

:party: You go, girl!!!

[Andie]

Since I've only lived in the DC suburbs my whole life (except for 4 years of college in WV - but right across the river from MD!) I'm enjoying this thread. It's so interesting to know a little about all these different places.

 

Anyone lived in Alaska?

 

Shepherd? :)

[ma23peas]

West side of Washington state - born there and like it; not as rainy as its reputation, but overcast, yes. .

 

I think it's all depends on your perspective! :) We lived just two miles from the sound near Tacoma Narrows Bridge...it definitely was rainy rainy rainy..we were there for 2 years, we must have hit the worst of it...also you never lose that chill...I'd go visit in August or September but never live there again.

 

Then again, I'm southern born and bred and sunshine is always around down here...I need that...

 

Lived:

 

Jasper, Alabama (varying cities around there as well)

 

Memphis, Tennessee

 

Collierville, Tennessee

 

Atlanta, Georgia (various cities around there as well)

 

University Place, Washington

 

Huntsville, Alabama

 

My all time favorite was probably Fayette County, Georgia....just loved it down there...but we're settled in Alabama and enjoying the country life, it grows on you! :)

 

Tara