I don't know. I loved living in SF, but it's so expensive now and the vibe of the city has changed a lot. Meanwhile, I've adjusted to socal and made some really awesome friends I'd be sad to leave.
This used to be an easy "yes" for me, but it would require a lot more thought now.
I grew up in Santa Barbara. Basically every February I think "why the fuck did I leave paradise to move to this hell hole of New England weather???" And DH and I begin perusing real estate options there. Then spring arrives and I remember I much prefer the east coast and larger cities.
My family isn't there anymore, but I do wish I lived closer to some of my good friends that are still there.
I would not move back to the area I grew up in. There's no job there for me. Like, at all. It would be a much smaller town/metro area than we're in now, and there would be so much less opportunity. COL would be lower, but not by a ton. And all my friends have since moved away, too, so I would only be moving back to be near my parents. They're cool, but...
Not in the near future, if ever. I think of where I live now as home. H would hate living in my hometown. At least we're on equal footing because I'd hate to live in his hometown as well.
We're on 2.5 hours away from my hometown so we see my family pretty often.
To upstate NY? No. There's no economy there. I enjoy visiting every once in awhile but I basically left for college and only came back for Xmas break. There are also too many classmates that live there (smallish town) that I would not want to see socially but it would be unavoidable.
To DC where I lived until I was 7, well, I'm counting down to do that!
Whaaaat?! All of that is just soooooooooo...
...true. lol
Signed, Girl who is trying to get away but can't seem to leave upstate NY
“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make it so, right in the middle of it lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce.” - Natalie Goldberg
Post by liverandonions on Oct 20, 2014 21:22:59 GMT -5
I live where I grew up and my husband does not. I like it because I know all the back ways to different locations and a lot of little quirky ins/outs of where we live.
No. I grew up in a suburb of Detroit until I was 10, then moved to Ohio where it was okay economically until the city's GM plant closed. All my immediate family has moved or is in the process of doing so. No economy, no family, cold weather. Not much for me to want to move back to.
To upstate NY? No. There's no economy there. I enjoy visiting every once in awhile but I basically left for college and only came back for Xmas break. There are also too many classmates that live there (smallish town) that I would not want to see socially but it would be unavoidable.
To DC where I lived until I was 7, well, I'm counting down to do that!
Whaaaat?! All of that is just soooooooooo...
...true. lol
Signed, Girl who is trying to get away but can't seem to leave upstate NY
I was going to mention you as a positive for moving back. I graduated from high school and was couldn't get out of town fast enough. I had a great high school experience I just knew it was so not where I wanted to be.
"Why would you ruin perfectly good peanuts by adding candy corn? That's like saying hey, I have these awesome nachos, guess I better add some dryer lint." - Nonny
Signed, Girl who is trying to get away but can't seem to leave upstate NY
I was going to mention you as a positive for moving back. I graduated from high school and was couldn't get out of town fast enough. I had a great high school experience I just knew it was so not where I wanted to be.
I totally understand! That's how H and I feel too. Now that he's done with his masters, we are looking to move. (I would miss the food, though!)
If you're ever in town (and are comfortable), let me know! I'm pretty sure we didn't go to the same high school, so we can be the rare occurrence of two people who DON'T know each other meeting up. Lol.
Post by litebright on Oct 20, 2014 21:58:06 GMT -5
No.
I grew up in a rural Ohio farm town of about 5K people. I get a little nostalgic about a few things from time to time -- the county fair, always running into people you know wherever you go, and the countryside is very pretty, especially in the fall -- but that is not a lifestyle I want. I like my house in the suburbs 20 minutes from a city, with way more activities and enrichment for my kids, and far more choices and resources in just about everything.
DH and I don't live where I grew up but we do live where both of my parents grew up. So all of my family lives here except my parents and my brother. We wouldn't move to my hometown because the job opportunities are not there.
I would never go back. I grew up in a town of about 5000 people in central Texas. I went back for Christmas vacation my freshman year of college, and did not spend more than a couple of nights there after that. None of my family lives in the town I grew up in anymore; my mom and my sister live about 30 minutes away in a bigger town that is not bad, but for a variety of reasons my life is much easier when I am a few hours away.
I moved to Houston for college and have lived here the majority of my adult life - it is definitely "home" to me at this point. The only thing I can see making us leave here is some awesome job opportunity for DH, but that seems unlikely.
Post by amberlyrose on Oct 21, 2014 0:07:31 GMT -5
I think about it every once in awhile when I see all my cousins getting together or my grandma holding a cousin's new baby. We grew up very close so they were more like siblings.
Then I go back for 24 hours and I'm all "NEWP!" I'm too much of a city girl now.
I would love to move back. My H has never considered the area though and I doubt he ever will. It's a lot more expensive and we would have zero family around.
Yes. My hometown is only 40 minutes from where I currently live but yet it has a vibrant downtown, amazing restaurants, beautiful river and a world renowned theatre.
Where I currently live has NONE of that! It has more affordable housing. Lol.
I would love to move back to where I grew up on the north side of Chicago. I would just have to win the lotto or something to be able to afford actually owning a home up there though.
We would definitely consider it; we've talked about it potentially, if the right opportunity was there. In fact I think I would rather live there than where we live now (a sentence I never, ever thought I would say, lol).
Post by mrsukyankee on Oct 21, 2014 5:59:18 GMT -5
No way in hell. I grew up in NE Pa and I'd never live there after living in DC, Boston and London. I'm a city girl and small town is NOT for me, especially in Pa. I would not fit at all. (Example, when I was working part-time there at the age of 27, I was asked constantly why I wasn't married with kids - was told there was something wrong with me, that I was crazy, etc. Lots of racism and the local politics are completely horrible).
When I got engaged and started looking for a house, I made sure we stayed in the same general area as I grew up. I can't leave my family. My family is very close and we all hang out all the time, I consider them to be my best friends.