Moved to the burbs and hate it

[Anonymous]

I look forward to city living again when the kids are out of school in a few years. But we will downsize to a real city, possibly abroad, not a depressing company town like DC.

[Anonymous]

New things take adjustment. New baby, new job, new school, new city, new home...all of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to city living again when the kids are out of school in a few years. But we will downsize to a real city, possibly abroad, not a depressing company town like DC.

As someone who grew up in a "real city" in Europe I always wonder what Americans have in mind when they say this. DC, while relatively small, is very much a real city to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to city living again when the kids are out of school in a few years. But we will downsize to a real city, possibly abroad, not a depressing company town like DC.

As someone who grew up in a "real city" in Europe I always wonder what Americans have in mind when they say this. DC, while relatively small, is very much a real city to me.

Not much diversity in DC - mostly rich or poor, black or white
Little interesting street life, the "culture" is institutionalized rather than organic
Mostly bureaucrats with few artists, musicians or artisans (far more takers than makers)
Lots of dangerous areas, mediocre public transportation
More like Ottawa or Brasilia than a top-tier city
Overall a B- or C+ urban destination

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to city living again when the kids are out of school in a few years. But we will downsize to a real city, possibly abroad, not a depressing company town like DC.

But for now the depressing burbs of this depressing city are worthy of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:City living is just a fad (remember pet rocks) and once the next riots or such starts out - you dont want to live in the city. Also the over crowding and crime and polution.

City living has been going on for what, tens of thousands of years? Reliance on a car to make living 5-50 miles outside of where one's job is everyday, i.e. the suburban lifestyle, is a creature of the last 100 years. If anything is a fad, it is the car dependent lifestyle in American suburbia. But we wouldn't expect a suburban bumpkin to put things like this in the appropriate historical context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City living is just a fad (remember pet rocks) and once the next riots or such starts out - you dont want to live in the city. Also the over crowding and crime and polution.

City living has been going on for what, tens of thousands of years? Reliance on a car to make living 5-50 miles outside of where one's job is everyday, i.e. the suburban lifestyle, is a creature of the last 100 years. If anything is a fad, it is the car dependent lifestyle in American suburbia. But we wouldn't expect a suburban bumpkin to put things like this in the appropriate historical context.

Enjoy the crime and bad schools! Us bumpkins (some of whom moved here from real cities, like London and NYC) are laughing at you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look forward to city living again when the kids are out of school in a few years. But we will downsize to a real city, possibly abroad, not a depressing company town like DC.

As someone who grew up in a "real city" in Europe I always wonder what Americans have in mind when they say this. DC, while relatively small, is very much a real city to me.

Not much diversity in DC - mostly rich or poor, black or white
Little interesting street life, the "culture" is institutionalized rather than organic
Mostly bureaucrats with few artists, musicians or artisans (far more takers than makers)
Lots of dangerous areas, mediocre public transportation
More like Ottawa or Brasilia than a top-tier city
Overall a B- or C+ urban destination

If you think DC is dangerous and non-diverse I don't think you've spent much time in 'real' top-tier cities like Paris or Los Angeles. Good luck with that move.

[Anonymous]

My spouse moved here from NYC, hated DC, and insisted we move to the suburbs once our oldest was school-age. It wouldn't have been the case in NYC, which as PPs have noted is a "real" city, which to me means a city with a more diverse population and more options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:City living is just a fad (remember pet rocks) and once the next riots or such starts out - you dont want to live in the city. Also the over crowding and crime and polution.

City living has been going on for what, tens of thousands of years? Reliance on a car to make living 5-50 miles outside of where one's job is everyday, i.e. the suburban lifestyle, is a creature of the last 100 years. If anything is a fad, it is the car dependent lifestyle in American suburbia. But we wouldn't expect a suburban bumpkin to put things like this in the appropriate historical context.

All those Indians living in the city. Yea... Wait?

Most people move to DC for a job not because they care to live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My spouse moved here from NYC, hated DC, and insisted we move to the suburbs once our oldest was school-age. It wouldn't have been the case in NYC, which as PPs have noted is a "real" city, which to me means a city with a more diverse population and more options.

....or he didn't want to live in a city anymore. My DH is from NYC, the actual city and like Long Island, and he didn't want to live on DC bc he's over the city. Didn't matter the quality of the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse moved here from NYC, hated DC, and insisted we move to the suburbs once our oldest was school-age. It wouldn't have been the case in NYC, which as PPs have noted is a "real" city, which to me means a city with a more diverse population and more options.

....or he didn't want to live in a city anymore. My DH is from NYC, the actual city and like Long Island, and he didn't want to live on DC bc he's over the city. Didn't matter the quality of the city.

He was a she in this case, and I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have moved out of a city that had as much to offer. Every place has its pros and cons, but for us they tipped towards the suburbs in the DC region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My spouse moved here from NYC, hated DC, and insisted we move to the suburbs once our oldest was school-age. It wouldn't have been the case in NYC, which as PPs have noted is a "real" city, which to me means a city with a more diverse population and more options.

My spouse grew up on the UES. We recently bought in upper NW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My spouse moved here from NYC, hated DC, and insisted we move to the suburbs once our oldest was school-age. It wouldn't have been the case in NYC, which as PPs have noted is a "real" city, which to me means a city with a more diverse population and more options.

My spouse grew up on the UES. We recently bought in upper NW.

Or we bought in NW, too. We just sold there as well.

[Anonymous]

Op do t give up yet. Give it time