did you stray from the nest?

[breakingnews]

I had a strange urge to post a poll ... this'll be my first. Hope I don't kill my own thread.

So the whole "working" thread got me thinking about how people end up where they are living. Actually, it's something I think about fairly often, as many people here ask me why I came to Taiwan and where I expect to go in the future.

I keep dreaming about moving to the mountains out west (in the U.S.) or to some strange new place where I can live a romantic fairy tale life and eventually write a book about it. But the fact of the matter is that I don't think I could ever leave my family. Furthermore, central NJ will always be my "home," and the five of us (in my family) seem to agree on that. Even my going to college in the southern U.S. was torture, enough so to make me return after graduation. Although my parents now live in Taiwan, I am 95% positive I will return to NJ/NY to settle down in the future.

So ... where do you live now? Still in your hometown? Returned after years of adventure abroad? Latched down by your S.O.? By the 'rents? Or have you successfully fled the nest and found your soul elsewhere?

[DanaC]

Over the hills and far away....well, actually, not so far away geographically speaking. I could travel by car to my hometown in about an hour and culturally there is more similarity than difference; however, they are two distinct cultural areas: hometown was in Lancashire, new home is in Yorkshire. I am on the other side of the Pennine mountains, so literally over the hills:P Historically the two regions have had strong links and equally strong rivalries/wars.

[Griff]

I'm back in my hometown. Pete and I really labored over this decision. We had a pretty good idea about the life we wanted for our kids and it had to include extended family. Whether this frees or cripples them in the long run is a pretty good question. They have deep roots here (from an American perspective) as my people will have been here 200 years in the next decade. The price is that its harder to reinvent yourself when people already know you and the economy here is somewhat limited.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Left the nest at 17 with no desire to return, other than visiting. Living in the sticks and working/school pretty much full time from age 11, there was no social circle to miss.

I found that 300 miles is far enough to prevent intrusion but close enough that I don't have to fly, if I have/want to be there.

[glatt]

I grew up in Lewiston Maine. It's a smallish town and there aren't too many opportunities there that interested me, even though it's beautiful there. My siblings and I all moved away, but my parents are still there. Two of my siblings moved to the Boston area, which is still pretty close (2-3 hour drive) to Lewiston. I moved all the way to the Washington DC area right after college because I had some friends here then. My older brother moved all the way out to Silicon Valley, for school and his chosen field. We've both put down roots in our new homes.

My parents always encouraged travel when we were growing up, so I think none of us kids felt that tied to Maine. I miss Maine. It was a great place to be as a kid, but my wife and kids and I have put down roots in this area. We could do far worse than Arlington, VA. This is really a nice place to live.

My Mom grew up in Pennsylvania, and my Dad on Long Island, and they both made a new life for themselves in Maine, so they were the generation to break free from the homeland. We're just continuing the trend.

[bbro]

I lived in the suburbs of Pittsburgh growing up and lived in the habitable parts of the city in my adult years. Then, about 6-7 months ago, I up and moved to North Carolina. Certainly not the first child to do so, but the difference is Pittsburgh will always be my home. I will probably move back at some point. It depends on where my life is at that point.

[Shawnee123]

I've always thought about moving to another state, or Canada, but I am SO close with my family: mom, dad, big brother, little brother, nephews, nieces...

I always worry that someday I'll regret not flying farther, but I cherish being near my family.

[Trilby]

I never meant to live in my hometown--always wanted to go far, far away. After I had baby #1, I found it very nice to be close to family. Baby #2 sealed the deal.

In '88, after I was married, hubby and I talked about going to Australia. I really, really wanted to live there. I'm still here, though.

[Spexxvet]

Lived in Delaware County, PA since birth. Now, I'm about 5 miles from my hometown. No one in the family still lives in my hometown, but parents, and two of us kids are still within 15 minute drive of each other.

[Sundae]

I moved away years ago, but would live back in my home town now if I could afford to move back.

I moved to London because I was tired of living in a conservative mid sized town (among other reasons). London was too much of a city for me, so I moved to Leicester - which is small as cities go and fits me nicely.

I'd love to be closer to my family though. If I won the Lottery tomorrow I'd find a place to live approx 15 mins walk from my parents - wherever in the world my money enabled them to settle.

[SteveDallas]

I grew up in a North Carolina city that would be small by North Carolina standards, but was the biggest thing for many miles around. I went to college in Greensboro, a larger city and a nice place that I still have fond memories of. I moved to Philadelphia to go to grad school and have been here since.

[DanaC]

I forgot to mention in my post, that although I have moved across the pennines, this doesn't separate me from my close family as they also moved from there to here :P

[BigV]

Mom moved to my town from across country. One sister in my home state. One sister three timezones away. One brother in Texas. One brother in Utah. Kin in Oklahoma.

Moved away, smallish steps at first and then larger state-sized steps later. Haven't looked back.

[Aliantha]

Wow...I can't believe I'm the only one who's voted that they're still living in their home town.

I did move away for a few months once, but came back pretty quickly.

I love the place I live. I have so much family here which is really important to me. They're my rock and keep me grounded. The climate is great here too, and there's plenty of work if you're looking for it. It's a great place for families, but there's also plenty of nightlife if that's your thing.

One day we'll probably live elsewhere, but until something very financially attractive comes along, I'll be more than content just to live here till the day I die.

[keryx]

Through pure coincidence, my mother and father live 86 miles away down the same road I live on now, with the Wildcat Mountains in between, so it's really over the hills, but not SO far away.

I took a round about way to come back to Wisconsin. Living three years in Illinois, and a one year trek through the lower 48 which included a 3 month stint in Alabama. Now the cold seems to affect me much more here than it did in my youth.