Why are you where you are now?

I am in Maryland too. I am here because my husband got a job here.

I stay in NY because me and my husband both have stable jobs here and my daughters school program is being paid for by the City of New York.

Because I was born here. But I still have time to move if I want to (which I do).

I was born and raised here in Missouri. I have aunts and uncles that all moved away when I was younger and they never came back (Marines you know) so I felt that I needed to stay here and be the ‘home girl’, and do the traditional caregiver role for the elderly family members.

Sometimes I regret it because it’s hard, but most of the time, I feel grateful for choosing this path in life, and to a small degree, I think it free’s up the rest of the family to spread their wings and fly free of the obligations without guilt.

I’m in TN because my husband took a job here 7 years ago. I guess he had a 7 year itch, because he just accepted a job in FL, so I am getting my act together to sell my house and eventually move back to FL.

I had first been in FL after college, because I went to college in MI and it was freezing there. LOL.

I went to school in MI because the Michigan State had degrees in both Hotel Administration and Merchandising Managament and I loved Michigan State University campus when I visited one summer. Plus, my dad wanted to get me away from my boyfriend at the time. I moved from MD to MI for my college education.

Which brings me to MD, a beautiful state, are you happy you wound up there?

I’m here because my mother kidnapped us and ran away from my father when I was nine years old. I stay because I don’t have the financial security to leave. That is the only reason.

I’ve been living in the Sierra Nevada foothills for over 20 years. Wanted to raise my daughter in the country and have stayed because I love the beauty, peace, low/no crime factor and because I want the option of keeping farm animals as pets. I seriously toyed with the idea of leaving the country a few years ago, almost bought a house in Costa Rica, but decided I am too much of a mountain girl to go tropical for the long term.
I also really hate moving, even though I like change and am very adaptable.

I have lived in many places over the years so it is not as if I have never moved.
I do know being out of the insanity of a large city has spoiled me rotten and it would be a huge adjustment to go back into the belly of the monster.

@JLeslie Happy, yes. DC is close by and I love it. But sometimes I wonder how my life as a bachelor would have been in NYC. : )

@Coloma I bet Marvwyn would have loved Costa Rica. Lol.

@mazingerz88 Haha yes, he would probably drop dead seeing the ocean. It would blow his little goosey mind.
Surfer goose. lol

We felt it was time for me to live near my daughter due to my s/o needing major surgery. We did not know he’d be fine after four years and could have stayed in my dream home on top of a steep hill in Arkansas on 2 acres with absolutely no neighbors, deer in our yard all winter and only the sound of birds all spring and summer. Oh, how I miss that place. I could go on forever about it and the town itself.

I was transplanted here 13 years ago by my then-employer and never left. I was fairly familiar with the city before I moved here permanently because I had been commuting here several times a month for the company prior to the relocation. I stay because I own a nice little house, have a good job and good friends. I can’t imagine moving anywhere else, not because there aren’t other places I’d like to live, but because I just don’t think my bones are up to another big move (I’ve made more than my share of ‘em in my life.)

I just happen to be in the beautiful city of Alexandria, Virginia.

I was born and raised a New England girl, but I’ve spent all of my adult life here. I love New England, and I go to Martha’s Vineyard every summer, but I can’t imagine living any place other than where I am now.

@Aster Your story reminded me of a friend’s decision to move to the East Coast from a condo penthouse in Pacific Palisades in LA where they had a view of the ocean and frequent sightings of dolphins. She wanted her grandkids to know her and be close to them. That didn’t happen the way she wanted it and adding insult to injury, her view now outside her apartment window is that of a four-story parking building.

Honestly, I don’t know why I’m here. Mostly it has to do with work, but it also has to do with a lot of other stuff that is too boring to go into. Or if you really want to hear it, I don’t want to say, to tell the truth.

I ask you, do any of you really know why you are here? I mean, really?

My first husband couldn’t find work in Oregon. My best friends husband said there was plenty of work in Bakersfield. They both came down and got jobs and my best friend and I were supposed to follow. She divorced him and I came down. That was in 1985. My husband has since died and my second husband and I just bought a second home back in Oregon.

When I lived in Minnesota, I despised the community where I lived and knew I had to get out or go insane. I wanted to move to Austin, TX or DC— I looked at job and education opportunities there as well as in Florida, where some family members live and Alabama, where I was born. There was nothing in my mind that said, “Look west-” I wanted to be back east.

I also wanted to find a linguistics program that specialized in certain areas, so I joined the Linguistics Society of America and their web site has a full listing of all Linguistics programs in the US. One of the programs in Colorado caught my eye, but I still wanted to be back east.

Then my mom, in Montana, had a medical emergency and I realized I didn’t really want to be across the country from her, so went ahead and applied for the program in Colorado.

I was accepted to a program in DC and in Colorado—it was still a toss up. When I visited Colorado, everything fell into place- within 3 days, I had a place to live, a job, and hit off with several people right away. In contrast, my network in DC didn’t come through for any one single thing. Basically, I followed the ‘open doors.’

Best decision I’ve ever made—I don’t plan to leave.

I’m British, lived there a short time really, then Canada, USA, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. I never knew the place I was from. I am going back there soon. I know I will feel like a foreigner there sad really.

Graduated UT Austin in the mid-seventies and left the city (then a college town) for three years. But I moved back as soon as I was able and haven’t left. I’m contemplating my dotage in a different environment though—the heat of Texas summers are too extreme for me.

I came back here for a job back in ‘82. I have been here since and now I have kids and grandkids in the area and it is hard to leave them for any extended length of time.
I would like to live in the mountains though. Maybe. Someday.

I am here where I am now because I love NYC and the family that brought me here is still here, living with me, hanging on. I will not move them anywhere. I am here in the U.S. in general because my parents had a hard time making ends meet in Russia and they applied to the Green Card lottery. We were in Russia in general because we were driven by war from my home country of Azerbaijan for being Armenian.

@picante so true, the summers are the worst.

The Austin and Central Texas summers were unbearable to me also. A little farther north in the Tyler area is hot but not as bad as Austin. We left the Austin area after a year of ridiculous heat and insane traffic.

Well, RIGHT now I’m in Malaysia because of my job. But prior to that (and most of the time) I’m in Connecticut because of my job, which I was happy to do because of the job I lost that I had when I was in California (for my job there).

I think I’m working too much. At least Connecticut (or elsewhere in New England, or the Canadian Maritimes) is where I’d probably choose to be. I’m learning that I really REALLY enjoy me some cold weather sometimes.

Malaysia is quite beautiful, and the climate is what many would consider to be near-perfect, but I couldn’t possibly live here year round.

@CWOTUS Blow Malaysia a kiss from me, I love it there

A professional decision by my ex-husband brought us to this beautiful, rural yet cultured area over 20 years ago. When the marriage broke up, my sister and bro-in-law had moved nearby, my daughter was in the next state, and our mother was only 20 miles away; I got to keep this house so it all worked out very well. I am planning to leave this place feet first.

I have lived only in the NE and cannot imagine being anywhere else.

I was raised in Colorado, but I dreamed of living in California all the time I was there. I hate snow. I moved to Santa Barbara and spent 15 wonderful years there. I miss it very much.

I met my husband while visiting San Diego, and we lived there for several years before his employer transferred us, first to Ventura and now to the Sacramento area, where we have been for the last 20 years. The company continues to make it worth our while.

I have a beautiful house with four bedrooms, a big yard and a pool, something I would never have had if I lived in Santa Barbara or San Diego, my two favorite places.

I’ve lived in the SF Bay Area since I got out of school 33 years ago. Why would I want to live any where else? It’s the best place all around in the world.

I’m from Oregon, but live in MS because I’m in the military move a lot. Next I’m going to live in VA. If anyone lives near VA beach, could you tell me where the best apartments are? I’ve been told too many times that there are a lot of bad areas around Norfolk and just want to live in a nicer area.

I’m British and I emigrated to Australia in my very early 20s. I chose this country and city because I already had a sibling here. I like it, so I have stayed.

I always knew I did not want to spend my entire life in the town where I grew up. There was a time about six years ago when it became apparent that my then husband was going to lose his job. Most of my family had long since moved to the mid-west to the town where my grandparents grew up (they spent my grandfather’s career in LA but retired to their home town). We decided he would look for a job in my hometown and in the town where my family had relocated. He got the first and best job offer here so here I am. Truth be told it was the smartest move I ever made – though I do miss the weather in California!

It was a very easy decision to move here, because I was only accepted into one grad school! Lucky for me and little did I know it when applying, but this is a wonderful place to live, and it ended up being the best grad department for me.

I’ve only ever lived up and down the east coast of the U.S.

I was born in the best place in the world so aside from a few forays up north, I feel no need to leave. I sort of just roll with life as it happens.

I should do some thinking about that.

@tinyfairy, yes you were! Paradise.

I ended up living in a town in Wiltshire, UK because my stepdad used to live in the same building. He kept in touch with the landlady and found out that one of the flats was up for rent and my stepdad knew that I was looking for my own place (I was living with my dad in Somerset at the time, not that that was a problem but it was time i became independant!) I went round to see the landlady and the flat, fell in love with the place and haven’t looked back. I hope I don’t have to move for a long time.

Summer after my junior year of high school, I received a mailing from the University of Pittsburgh (I’m from NW Ohio.. was not familiar with the school) telling me that through their honors program, I could apply for free to the school.

Not thinking much of it, and having no knowledge/desire to go to that school – I filled it out, as my first application and sent it in. A few weeks later, I received an acceptance letter – not only to the school for undergrad, but to the pharmacy program, also.

Decided after a long process to leave everyone I knew and move to Pennsylvania. Started school, not knowing anyone. Finished two years of undergrad/pre-requisites. Started pharmacy school after that, and have been here ever since.