Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:India. I traveled there in college and it changed me forever.

The lack of diversity would be a problem for me.

The news reports of brutal gang raping of girls is a problem for me.

What about the news reports of school shootings and mass shootings here?

When you go on vacation do you normally pose as a teenager and attend school? Yikes.

Indians have a hard time being inclusive here so don’t act all shocked someone said India lacks diversity.

Turks and Caicos- not doable in terms of healthcare and schools but would love to live there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many times. I felt that way about Sweden, actually. Like it just feels really good to be there, everything seems set up to be conducive to a good and happy life. When we came home I thought a lot about how much about our lives here (DC) are difficult for reasons that don't have to exist. It's eye opening and hard to forget.

So, so true. Americans often don’t realize how difficult and exhausting life is here for so many little reasons, until they’ve spent extended time elsewhere, especially Northern Europe - or New Zealand!

Like what ways?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, many times. I felt that way about Sweden, actually. Like it just feels really good to be there, everything seems set up to be conducive to a good and happy life. When we came home I thought a lot about how much about our lives here (DC) are difficult for reasons that don't have to exist. It's eye opening and hard to forget.

So, so true. Americans often don’t realize how difficult and exhausting life is here for so many little reasons, until they’ve spent extended time elsewhere, especially Northern Europe - or New Zealand!

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flagstaff, AZ. Have been 3 times. Would love to live there.

I loved Flagstaff also and felt at home there. Then I learned how much it snows there.

l.

Winter is as beautiful as summer. Skiing just 20 minutes from town. DD is hoping to attend NAU in 2 years.

I scrolled through this post wondering if someone would say Flagstaff as I’ve heard numerous people mention how they visited and fell in love. I moved there almost 10 years ago site unseen due to my husband’s job. It is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. I feel lucky to raise my kids in such close proximity to outdoor activities, yet able to escape to Sedona or the Valley for a break from winter. Snow sports (recreationally) are very accessible on a modest salary. It has a small town vibe (which can be good and bad).

Unfortunately it’s crazy expensive and I’m not sure feasible for us long term, even though I’d love to stay. Housing is outrageous, cost of living is high and professional salaries (looking at you NAU and NAZ Healthcare) don’t keep up. Health care is also hard to come by. I see it becoming more and more filled with second homes and air bnbs while families are pushed out. For example, our house price has doubled in 7 years and 3 houses on our street have been bought and converted to air bnbs in the last year.

Fellow former DMVer now flagstaffan! I feel like we relocated to heaven- thankfully after the 2008 real estate peak and before the 2020 real estate bubble insanity. Aside from anxiety over middle school options and no Trader Joe’s I would not change a thing!

Ha! Yes, we must have moved here about the same time! All the middle schools have issues, but we’re happy enough at ours. Not sure about HS though. Yes to Trader Joe’s and Costco. The in and out rumors finally came true, so we can still dream!

I mean in general, I fall in love with almost every place I go because if I wouldn't go unless I thought it was beautiful or awesome in some way LOL!

But in terms of finding a place to live and not return home, probably Costa Rica. I have a strong admiration for that country on so many fronts.

Of course I think pretty much most Italian towns are going to work. I love the N and S of France. Paris is wonderful too. I think there's a marked difference between the reality of loving a place and what it would be like to live there perm. Again, I love A LOT of places. I loved Santa Fe, Sedona, Napa, NYC, Chicago, QC, Islamorada. Hell I love the islands! I love Vegas too - off strip. But living somewhere isn't something you can know about unless you really do relo there.

It does get harder and harder to come back to the States when I go to different countries however. In terms of national travel, I would prefer living in a city or the country and not the NOVA burbs - but at the same time, having done that when I wasn't married and a parent - I'd require a large sum of cash to be happy doing that!! hahaha.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flagstaff, AZ. Have been 3 times. Would love to live there.

I loved Flagstaff also and felt at home there. Then I learned how much it snows there.

l.

Winter is as beautiful as summer. Skiing just 20 minutes from town. DD is hoping to attend NAU in 2 years.

I scrolled through this post wondering if someone would say Flagstaff as I’ve heard numerous people mention how they visited and fell in love. I moved there almost 10 years ago site unseen due to my husband’s job. It is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. I feel lucky to raise my kids in such close proximity to outdoor activities, yet able to escape to Sedona or the Valley for a break from winter. Snow sports (recreationally) are very accessible on a modest salary. It has a small town vibe (which can be good and bad).

Unfortunately it’s crazy expensive and I’m not sure feasible for us long term, even though I’d love to stay. Housing is outrageous, cost of living is high and professional salaries (looking at you NAU and NAZ Healthcare) don’t keep up. Health care is also hard to come by. I see it becoming more and more filled with second homes and air bnbs while families are pushed out. For example, our house price has doubled in 7 years and 3 houses on our street have been bought and converted to air bnbs in the last year.

Fellow former DMVer now flagstaffan! I feel like we relocated to heaven- thankfully after the 2008 real estate peak and before the 2020 real estate bubble insanity. Aside from anxiety over middle school options and no Trader Joe’s I would not change a thing!

Anonymous wrote:Bali. Not to live but would love to be fortunate enough to spend more time there once our children are older/retirement.

Which parts of Bali did you enjoy the most?
Thinking of traveling there as part of our SEA trip next year.

I feel this way about New Orleans. I just connected with it.

Anonymous wrote:Op here- glad to see this thread revived and I love hearing about everyone else's favorite places.

So, I found this interesting- since I found this post, I did ancestry.com on a whim just to see how far back I could trace our family. Well, shocker- my paternal grandfather was not my biological grandfather. Turns out I'm a large chunk Norwegian and Swedish.

Maybe it’s superstitious or whatever but I do feel like sometimes you can feel the ancestry of a place.

I felt it in Scotland for sure, which is where my family is from.

That being said, I felt at home and appreciated the beauty…but have no desire to live there. . Too cold, rainy and wild!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flagstaff, AZ. Have been 3 times. Would love to live there.

I loved Flagstaff also and felt at home there. Then I learned how much it snows there.

l.

Winter is as beautiful as summer. Skiing just 20 minutes from town. DD is hoping to attend NAU in 2 years.

I scrolled through this post wondering if someone would say Flagstaff as I’ve heard numerous people mention how they visited and fell in love. I moved there almost 10 years ago site unseen due to my husband’s job. It is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. I feel lucky to raise my kids in such close proximity to outdoor activities, yet able to escape to Sedona or the Valley for a break from winter. Snow sports (recreationally) are very accessible on a modest salary. It has a small town vibe (which can be good and bad).

Unfortunately it’s crazy expensive and I’m not sure feasible for us long term, even though I’d love to stay. Housing is outrageous, cost of living is high and professional salaries (looking at you NAU and NAZ Healthcare) don’t keep up. Health care is also hard to come by. I see it becoming more and more filled with second homes and air bnbs while families are pushed out. For example, our house price has doubled in 7 years and 3 houses on our street have been bought and converted to air bnbs in the last year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Venice. Been many times, mostly in December and January. It is the most beautiful place and I feel so happy there.

I also love Venice. I've been there in November and December. I could spend weeks there.

I've been there a couple of times. It's picturesque, but stinky.

Anonymous wrote:Op here- glad to see this thread revived and I love hearing about everyone else's favorite places.

So, I found this interesting- since I found this post, I did ancestry.com on a whim just to see how far back I could trace our family. Well, shocker- my paternal grandfather was not my biological grandfather. Turns out I'm a large chunk Norwegian and Swedish.

*meant to say since I started this post, not found.

Op here- glad to see this thread revived and I love hearing about everyone else's favorite places.

So, I found this interesting- since I found this post, I did ancestry.com on a whim just to see how far back I could trace our family. Well, shocker- my paternal grandfather was not my biological grandfather. Turns out I'm a large chunk Norwegian and Swedish.

Anonymous wrote:Montreux, Switzerland. I visited twice for the Jazz fest, the mountains and lakes, the cheese..,

I so loved Montreux as well.I could sit by that lake forever.