Living in different cities, states or countries

[Crocodile]

Just curious to read about your experiences with where you have lived and whether you have moved around or stayed put.
Many people never leave the state in which they were born including staying in the same city all their lives and even the same district and suburb. Moving is not easy and is expensive. At times some might move within their city as they find a better house for their family or they might be at the stage where they want downsize to a place that’s easier to look after.
However there are those who have moved interstate for a promotion or maybe they went on a road trip ( or train or plane ) and found a place that was really beautiful or more affordable and decided to relocate there.
Then you get people who have lived in many countries and even own houses in different countries with multiple passports and split their time between countries.
I’m interested in reading about what your thoughts and experiences have been with regards to this topic.

 

[Turbo-87]

I have lived in the same general area my entire life, within a 15-mile radius. I lived in my hometown for my first 22 years. I went to college in a sister city eight miles away, so I lived with my parents through school. When I graduated, I got my first apartment in my hometown. 18 years ago, I moved to the sister city and that's where I will stay. I have always had good jobs and I am really happy with my current. I enjoy being near my parents and some of my college friends who stayed in the area. With the prices of new houses these days, I imagine I am already in my forever home. It is almost paid for and in awesome shape all around, so I will enjoy mortgage-free living soon enough. I can then buy more cars. I know that's a poor investment choice, but I am quite secure with savings, 401k, and other investments.

I never really felt the need to leave, and I think some of it was me being scared to try something new in an unfamiliar place. I'm not a momma's boy, but I do like being around my family. As they get older, I want to be around to spend time with them. I guess I am just fortunate to like where I am from and never felt the need to move. I have thought about it before, like moving to a warmer climate, but never followed through on it. Again, I think I am just scared, but my current situation is comfortable and working for me. I am just a bachelor who has gone through several relationships, so all of my options are still options.

 

[Crocodile]

I have lived in the same general area my entire life, within a 15-mile radius. I lived in my hometown for my first 22 years. I went to college in a sister city eight miles away, so I lived with my parents through school. When I graduated, I got my first apartment in my hometown. 18 years ago, I moved to the sister city and that's where I will stay. I have always had good jobs and I am really happy with my current. I enjoy being near my parents and some of my college friends who stayed in the area. With the prices of new houses these days, I imagine I am already in my forever home. It is almost paid for and in awesome shape all around, so I will enjoy mortgage-free living soon enough. I can then buy more cars. I know that's a poor investment choice, but I am quite secure with savings, 401k, and other investments.

I never really felt the need to leave, and I think some of it was me being scared to try something new in an unfamiliar place. I'm not a momma's boy, but I do like being around my family. As they get older, I want to be around to spend time with them. I guess I am just fortunate to like where I am from and never felt the need to move. I have thought about it before, like moving to a warmer climate, but never followed through on it. Again, I think I am just scared, but my current situation is comfortable and working for me. I am just a bachelor who has gone through several relationships, so all of my options are still options.

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to post.

 

[Crocodile]

I just stumbled across this video of a woman that moved from Adelaide to the Gold Coast and then Sunshine Coast and what she experienced.

 

[Larry Duff]

I am Scottish and was raised in Glasgow a fairly large industrial city. I moved to London briefly then returned. I then lived on the Scottish Isle of Bute population 7,000 with no boats off the island after 5pm in winter. Felt very isolated but it was a beautiful place. Then back to Glasgow (after 5 Years).
In 1991 we moved to the US and A with the intention of living in Chicago. It was winter and cold so moved to San Diego where we stayed 9 years. I applied to grad schools and ended up in Indiana where the plan was to get in and out but we loved Bloomington, Indiana and stayed 14 years. Then moved to Chapel Hill, NC and stayed 5 years, would have been longer but life intervened. Loved Carolina though the humidity and a month of insane pollen was difficult.
Family circumstances took us to Denver in 2019 and been here since. Plan is to return to Scotland next year although an imminent banking collapse could scupper that as my retirement is all caught up in stocks.

I feel Ive typed a lot, i may elaborate in more detail later.

 

[ollinger]

I once met a man in Pennsylvania (the American state with the highest percentage of people who'd lived in the same house for 30 years or more) in his 70s who'd slept in the same room every day of his life, notwithstanding an occasional vacation. He took over his parents' house and never left his childhood room.

 

[Crocodile]

I am Scottish and was raised in Glasgow a fairly large industrial city. I moved to London briefly then returned. I then lived on the Scottish Isle of Bute population 7,000 with no boats off the island after 5pm in winter. Felt very isolated but it was a beautiful place. Then back to Glasgow (after 5 Years).
In 1991 we moved to the US and A with the intention of living in Chicago. It was winter and cold so moved to San Diego where we stayed 9 years. I applied to grad schools and ended up in Indiana where the plan was to get in and out but we loved Bloomington, Indiana and stayed 14 years. Then moved to Chapel Hill, NC and stayed 5 years, would have been longer but life intervened. Loved Carolina though the humidity and a month of insane pollen was difficult.
Family circumstances took us to Denver in 2019 and been here since. Plan is to return to Scotland next year although an imminent banking collapse could scupper that as my retirement is all caught up in stocks.

I feel Ive typed a lot, i may elaborate in more detail later.

Well done, great journey - would love to read more.

 

[Crocodile]

I once met a man in Pennsylvania (the American state with the highest percentage of people who'd lived in the same house for 30 years or more) in his 70s who'd slept in the same room every day of his life, notwithstanding an occasional vacation. He took over his parents' house and never left his childhood room.

It does happen, thx for sharing

 

[Crocodile]

Australia has had many waves of immigration and people have moved here from all over the world and have added and contributed a lot to society. It must have been very challenging to move to a different country with nothing but a suitcase but with hard work many have become extraordinarily successful and prosperous.
Subsequent generations of these people had been less likely to move partly due to the fact that they didn’t need to move.
What I’m trying to get my head around is how things work in the US in the sense that you have got the choice of 50 states to choose from plus Canada, Central America and South America plus the Caribbean plus flying to Europe and UK is not that far compared to flying from Sydney and Melbourne to London.
Here in Oz you get the choice of 5 states and 2 territories plus New Zealand. It’s interesting it’s closer to fly from Sydney to Auckland ( 2.5 hours ) compared to Sydney to Perth ( 4 - 5 hours). Perth is 4000kms from the east coast cities at least and you don’t here much about Western Australia.

 

[Rafa.the.Magnificent]

Great thread, keep them coming.

 

[Bartelby]

Australia has had many waves of immigration and people have moved here from all over the world and have added and contributed a lot to society. It must have been very challenging to move to a different country with nothing but a suitcase but with hard work many have become extraordinarily successful and prosperous.
Subsequent generations of these people had been less likely to move partly due to the fact that they didn’t need to move.
What I’m trying to get my head around is how things work in the US in the sense that you have got the choice of 50 states to choose from plus Canada, Central America and South America plus the Caribbean plus flying to Europe and UK is not that far compared to flying from Sydney and Melbourne to London.
Here in Oz you get the choice of 5 states and 2 territories plus New Zealand. It’s interesting it’s closer to fly from Sydney to Auckland ( 2.5 hours ) compared to Sydney to Perth ( 4 - 5 hours). Perth is 4000kms from the east coast cities at least and you don’t here much about Western Australia.

Australia actually has 6 states, not 5.

 

[Crocodile]

Great thread, keep them coming.

Yes keep them coming, would love to read about your experiences and others you know.

 

[Crocodile]

Australia actually has 6 states, not 5.

Yes that’s right, thx for picking that up,my errorwhen typing this up:
1.Queensland
2. New South Wales
3. Victoria
4. Tasmania
5. South Australia
6. Western Australia
7. Australian Capital Territory
8. Northern Territory
BTW do you have any thoughts or experiences about this topic ?

 

[Bartelby]

Yes that’s right, my error when typing this up:
1.Queensland
2. New South Wales
3. Victoria
4. Tasmania
5. South Australia
6. Western Australia
7. Australian Capital Territory
8. Northern Territory
BTW do you have any thoughts or experiences about this topic ?

I was waiting for you to share!

 

[Crocodile]

I was waiting for you to share!

Ok, well I have lived and worked all my life in Sydney NSW and stayed in the same district. I looked after my parents while they were going through their later years so I lived close to them. I have relatives and close friends that have houses up the coast and in the snowy’s where I have the opportunity to live from time to time and go surfing and skiing.
Currently assessing what I might do moving forward. Not hard to share ideas.

 

[Bartelby]

The problem here is that the biggest three cities have become too big, too congested and too uninteresting.

 

[sureshs]

I am Scottish and was raised in Glasgow a fairly large industrial city. I moved to London briefly then returned. I then lived on the Scottish Isle of Bute population 7,000 with no boats off the island after 5pm in winter. Felt very isolated but it was a beautiful place. Then back to Glasgow (after 5 Years).
In 1991 we moved to the US and A with the intention of living in Chicago. It was winter and cold so moved to San Diego where we stayed 9 years. I applied to grad schools and ended up in Indiana where the plan was to get in and out but we loved Bloomington, Indiana and stayed 14 years. Then moved to Chapel Hill, NC and stayed 5 years, would have been longer but life intervened. Loved Carolina though the humidity and a month of insane pollen was difficult.
Family circumstances took us to Denver in 2019 and been here since. Plan is to return to Scotland next year although an imminent banking collapse could scupper that as my retirement is all caught up in stocks.

I feel Ive typed a lot, i may elaborate in more detail later.

San Diego is known for its tennis legends.

 

[Crocodile]

San Diego is known for its tennis legends.

Is that where you are from ? People I know who have visited there love the weather there, and the variety of cafes.

 

[sureshs]

Is that where you are from ?

Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima, sureshs, Coco Vendeweghe, Rod Laver all from there.

 

[Crocodile]

Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima, sureshs, Coco Vendeweghe, Rod Laver all from there.

I can see it’s yesterday Tuesday afternoon about 16 degrees Celsius, are there any tennis courts in Little Italy ?

 

[Sudacafan]

I may have a story to tell about the thread subject, but not now. Maybe later.
Next February, after I turn 59, I will be approaching the 50% mark of my life residing in a place different where I was born and raised, from where I left at 29.5 years old.
I don't like to write long about personal experiences, so as I can't summarize several decades in three of four sentences, I won't do anything about it for the moment.

 

[Username_]

I may have a story to tell about the thread subject, but not now. Maybe later.
Next February, after I turn 59, I will be approaching the 50% mark of my life residing in a place different where I was born and raised, from where I left at 29.5 years old.
I don't like to write long about personal experiences, so as I can't summarize several decades in three of four sentences, I won't do anything about it for the moment.

So you will write about it next February
Amirite

 

[onehandbh]

I have lived in the same general area my entire life, within a 15-mile radius. I lived in my hometown for my first 22 years. I went to college in a sister city eight miles away, so I lived with my parents through school. When I graduated, I got my first apartment in my hometown. 18 years ago, I moved to the sister city and that's where I will stay. I have always had good jobs and I am really happy with my current. I enjoy being near my parents and some of my college friends who stayed in the area. With the prices of new houses these days, I imagine I am already in my forever home. It is almost paid for and in awesome shape all around, so I will enjoy mortgage-free living soon enough. I can then buy more cars. I know that's a poor investment choice, but I am quite secure with savings, 401k, and other investments.

I never really felt the need to leave, and I think some of it was me being scared to try something new in an unfamiliar place. I'm not a momma's boy, but I do like being around my family. As they get older, I want to be around to spend time with them. I guess I am just fortunate to like where I am from and never felt the need to move. I have thought about it before, like moving to a warmer climate, but never followed through on it. Again, I think I am just scared, but my current situation is comfortable and working for me. I am just a bachelor who has gone through several relationships, so all of my options are still options.

Somewhat related question:
Have you traveled much to other parts of the U.S.? Visited other countries?

 

[Sudacafan]

So you will write about it next February
Amirite

Maybe.

 

[Turbo-87]

Somewhat related question:
Have you traveled much to other parts of the U.S.? Visited other countries?

Mostly within the United States. I am a scuba diver, so I have spent a lot of time in the Florida Keys. I have probably been to 25% of the states in the US either for business or pleasure. I haven't really traveled abroad besides Mexico and Panama. I would like to at some point but it just hasn't worked out thus far. I do want to go to Queensland someday.

Honestly, I have traditionally been into "things" more than "places," but that is now changing as I get older. As Ewan McGregor says in that commercial, will you regret the things you didn't buy or the places you didn't go? I am realizing that the latter is the case, but luckily I still have time and all of my options are still options. I put the money away to do such things, so it's there.

 

[happyandbob]

I was a consultant for 25+ years and moved around a lot. Places I have lived for at least 6 continuous months (in no particular order):

• New York, NY
• Boston, MA
• Philadelphia, PA
• San Francisco, CA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Chicago, IL
• Dallas, TX
• Princeton, NJ
• Summersville, WV
• Columbus, OH

Places where I have spent at least 3 months in 1-2 week batches

• Pune, India
• Bucharest, Romania
• Hartford, CT
• Phoenix, AZ

It sucked to move around so much. I'm happy to be settled down in a specific place.