Barbara Lickness wrote:
> It would be interesting to hear from some of the small town transplants. I
> would like to know what it was like moving to the big city and what it was
> that made you decide to stay in the city versus the suburbs or another small
> town.
>
I'll bite. I grew up in a town with a population of about 1500. Since this
town is located on the Iron Range, the nearest large "town" is Duluth. I
remember coming down to the Cities to stay with my uncle, this would be when
I was a teenager. I loved it down here. From those visits, I knew I wanted
to live down here. However, it took me ten years after graduation to
actually arrive. I lived in Duluth for ten years before moving to St. Paul
to live with my fianc� at the time (we are now married). While I lived in
Duluth, I would occasionally be overwhelmed with the desire to go to the
Cities, so I would finagle someone into going with me to a concert or to
visit a mutual friend.
Since the time I have lived down here, I have lived in St. Paul, Brooklyn
Center, and now north Minneapolis. I could live in either St. Paul or
Minneapolis, though I liked my St. Paul location better than my current
Minneapolis location, but I will not live in a suburb. I hated living in
Brooklyn Center, at least where I was located. I have friends who live in
Rosemount, which is horrid little suburb without any restaurants except fast
food! I have also have friends that live in Woodbury which is filled with
shiny new homes, condos, apartments, and townhomes. They must sell only one
color of paint in Woodbury: bland.
I like living in Minneapolis because of the higher density of people and the
greater diversity of people. I am excited that a new Mexican restaurant has
opened up across the river from me, I think it is called Viva La Mexico. I
have been there once, the food was excellant and the staff were great
people. I like the fact that there is a Hmong family living across the alley
from me. I could go on and on about this stuff.
After living in Duluth for ten years, I knew Duluth rather well. I recently
came to the realization that I might live my entire life in Minneapolis and
still not have had time to visit every restaurant. That excites me.
Transitioning from Duluth, which is really a large town and not a small city
(in attitude), was rather easy for me because I married a Minneapoliton. She
knows her way around rather well and is not the least bit concerned with the
size or diversity of Minneapolis. We both enjoy exploring Minneapolis and
even the suburbs.
I doubt I will ever move back to a small town. Visiting my parents is
painful because of the dullness I see when I see the old hometown. What do
these people do, other than work, watch TV, or hang out at the bar? It has
gotten to the point where I refuse to visit unless there is some activity to
do or place to explore, such as a historical site.
I might live in a suburb if it is an old suburb. My wife works in West St.
Paul, so I get to see that city and same with South St. Paul. I would
consider living there. Any suburb I live in would have accrete some wear and
tear, some diversity due to age, some sense of having been around awhile.
I am interested in reading what other transplants have to say, so please
speak up.
Scott McGerik
Hawthorne
Minneapolis
http://www.visi.com/~scottlm/
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
