Where do you come from?

Dex · #1 05-20-2013, 06:56 AM

Well, in kind of a spinoff of The Accent Thread and the Eh!? thread, I thought it might be interesting to hear about the parts of the world you all call home. Not in a creepy give-me-your-postcode kind of way, but just generally. What's life like there? What are the people like? Do you like it? Do you constantly get mugged and want to leave at any cost? Etc?

Just thought it might be fun to learn a bit more about you guys. We seem like a pretty international crew here.

Aussie W/Heart · #2 05-20-2013, 10:33 AM

Nice idea!! This is where I live

I live near a cruisey pretty coastal town called Noosa Heads, 90 min north of Brisbane Aust.. a popular tourist destination, main attractions are our beautiful surf beaches, National parks, cafe's & restaurants.. Sub tropical climate..

Born in Melbourne & moved here 20 years ago, the population then was only 17,000 now has doubled in size.. Still it's a very safe & friendly community, & never worried about getting mugged.

We live on 12 private acres adjacent to a lovely River, we have 4 dogs, daily visiting Kangaroos, flying foxes, possums, goanna's & the odd carpet python.. 5 min drive into town, It's a great place to live.

Dex · #3 05-20-2013, 10:54 AM

Oooh sounds like a postcard-perfect place, AWH.

I'm really jealous. Although truthfully I think Oz would be simply too hot for me (even the south coast of England gets me annoyingly sweaty in the summer months) it's certainly a place many around here seem to fantasize about moving to.

And Noosa Heads is a brilliant name for a place. I think Australia seems to always have the best place-names. Although England has a little village called ****terton, which I think could give any other name a run for its money. I'd love to say "I'm from ****terton". How fantastic fun would that be to say?

(ETA: Ha! I see the board doesn't even let me to say ****terton. Brilliant!)

I live in a large town on the south coast of Sussex, where I can see the ocean clearly from my windows, and the weather is quite sunny (by English standards). We're also at the south end of a national park with lovely green hills for miles. Very pleasant. It's a town that I suppose isn't very stand-out-ish in any way by UK standards, so a lot of the locals sort of slag it off in that typically self-depricating English way, but there's an affection for the place underneath all of that. The architecture, amenities, and people have absolutely charmed me, and although I do miss home sometimes, I love it here.

I also am getting far too used to not having to drive anywhere.

It's a lovely change of pace from my hometown (Calgary Canada), which at that time pretty much had a drivers-only infrastructure. Although it is improving these days, which is good news for me if I decide to move back.

chelluversu · #4 05-20-2013, 10:56 AM

I'm from Detroit. The actual city, not the suburbs.

The people are either crappy or great depending where you live, but it's a huge city, so that is to be expected. I've lived in different areas over my lifetime, and I have never been mugged. However, I do remember when I was about 4 or 5 my teacher was mugged right in front of us while she was walking us to the park and it ended up on the news.

Detroit is having a rough period right now, but it'll be fine.

Now I live part-time in East Lansing, Mich (the capital) and part-time in Virginia.

holidayroad · #5 05-20-2013, 11:00 AM

I live in the U.S. I am originally from Eastern Kentucky...cross a bridge and you'd be in Ohio or drive a little while and you would be in West Virginia.

My family moved/traveled a lot, so I also lived in Florida and South Carolina when I was younger.

I now live in a rural town in Alabama. My husband is from here, originally. I really don't care for where I live. I am an open minded and accepting person. That type of person doesn't seem to fit in well here.

The people here are very into Christianity and look down on anyone who isn't in a church every time the doors are open. They have very narrow ideas of how people should be. If you are not like them, you are not treated well.

This area does have some natural beauty, at least. There are mountains, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls nearby.

Dex · #6 05-20-2013, 11:05 AM

Chelluversu, I live near a village called Lancing over here. You're location made me do a double-take! I love finding similar place-names around the world. My brother-in-law is from Sydney, Nova Scotia, for example. I geek out about stuff like that.

I agree, cities and towns do have their cycles. Perhaps regrettably, the only impression I have of Detroit is that it's rather subversively north of the Canadian border. I just find that rather badass for some reason.

Virginia looks absolutely stunning. Definitely a State on my to-see list.

kak125 · #7 05-20-2013, 11:05 AM

I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and I live in the Southside. It's in the city just about 2 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh. I have a few decks on my house so I have a great view of the city, the southside and the 3 rivers. The people here are some of the nicest, most hard working people you will ever meet. We are die hard Steelers, Penguins and Pirates Fans and we love to drink! I have been living in the city since the year 2000 and I love it. I have never been mugged so thank goodness for that. It's pretty safe here and I dont think I would ever want to leave. There is no worry of earthquakes, hurricanes or really even tornadoes here so that makes it nice to not have to think about those things.

Dex · #8 05-20-2013, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by holidayroad

This area does have some natural beauty, at least. There are mountains, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls nearby.

I'm sorry you don't get on better culturally in Alabama, holidayroad! But, perhaps it's hermit-y of me, but if I had to choose, I think natural beauty is more important to me.

That photo is great!

chiliD · #9 05-20-2013, 11:37 AM

I'm a near "rarity"...I'm a NATIVE Californian. Considering how many people who live in Southern California (well, California in general, I surmise) have come from elsewhere (either in or out of the USA....legally or otherwise), being a natural born Californian (who STAYED in California) is pretty rare. Seems like everyone outside of California wants to live here & those who WERE born here can't wait to get the *** out.

shackin'up · #10 05-20-2013, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

I'm a near "rarity"...I'm a NATIVE Californian. Considering how many people who live in Southern California (well, California in general, I surmise) have come from elsewhere (either in or out of the USA....legally or otherwise), being a natural born Californian (who STAYED in California) is pretty rare. Seems like everyone outside of California wants to live here & those who WERE born here can't wait to get the *** out.

Wow, didn't know that, ChiliD, from wat tribe do you origine?

Dex · #11 05-20-2013, 12:28 PM

Shackin'up, I think chiliD may mean that he was born in California, as opposed to one of the many people who moved there in adulthood. Not "native" as in ethnically indigenous. Although he may be... Should I start a race thread?

I know how you feel, chiliD. Calgary has been experiencing, perhaps less famously, a similar phenomenon. Adults who live there rarely seem to be from there, and "where do you come from originally?" is a popular question in small-talk.

shackin'up · #12 05-20-2013, 12:35 PM

I live in a small village between two middlesized cities in the Netherlands. My house is built along the dike, and four stories high, so we can look out over that dike. I bike to work everyday, 7 or 8 miles of this:

http://www.bedandbreakfastwaaldijk.n...melsewaard.php

Scroll to the three pics of the environment, these are from the places I see and smell during dusk and dawn.

Dex · #13 05-20-2013, 01:06 PM

Shackin'up, how lucky you must feel to have a commute like that! What stunning scenery.

My walk along the shoreline to work is fairly pretty, but I have to admit that I get too caught up in that morning feeling of ugggghhhh-I-have-to-wooooork to really appreciate it very much these days. I hope you're better than I am.

OK so I'm seriously overposting in this thread. I'll lay low for a while. But seeing and hearing about all these different places ir eally great. Thanks guys!

moon · #14 05-20-2013, 01:31 PM

In the south of Argentina, in Bariloche, a wonderful place between mountains, snow, lakes, and pretty animals!
It's cold and windy all the year, but sometimes the summers have cute days, where you can enjoy the nature, the forest and the lakes, just a few miles away from the city.
As I've seen on pictures, our landscape is similar to some places in Switzerland, Finland, Canada, and the Rocky Mountains in the United States.

P.S: You can enjoy wine, cheese, berries, brew and chocolate too!!!!

louielouie2000 · #15 05-20-2013, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie W/Heart

Nice idea!! This is where I live

I live near a cruisey pretty coastal town called Noosa Heads, 90 min north of Brisbane Aust.. a popular tourist destination, main attractions are our beautiful surf beaches, National parks, cafe's & restaurants.. Sub tropical climate..

Born in Melbourne & moved here 20 years ago, the population then was only 17,000 now has doubled in size.. Still it's a very safe & friendly community, & never worried about getting mugged.

We live on 12 private acres adjacent to a lovely River, we have 4 dogs, daily visiting Kangaroos, flying foxes, possums, goanna's & the odd carpet python.. 5 min drive into town, It's a great place to live.

That truly sounds like paradise. I looked up pictures, and sure enough, it is!

My other half and I have talked about our third act in life being in Australia. I'd pretty much narrowed it down to the Brisbane area, and now II know for sure that's where I want to be!

As for myself, I live in Austin, Texas. It's really beautiful here as well: huge rolling hills, limestone cliffs, crystal clear spring fed rivers, creeks, and lakes, and very laid back, friendly, quirky locals who love good food, drinks, and music. I grew up in Austin, lived away for a long time, and moved back a few years ago. I'm so glad I did, too... there's any other large American city I could be happy in. Unfortuantely, the secret is out about Austin... and it's growing to the point where quality of life is really starting to suffer. That's one of the several reasons I'd like to move some place else later in life. Mainly, I just want to live where there's no semblance of winter.