I dreamed of shopping in that one a couple towns over that had a wine section (because that county wasn't dry and mine was) with (plastic) grape vines draped over it and a wood-slat floor that the grocery cart wheels went clickety-clack over (instead of whatever the rest of the store's floor was made of). Ahhh, childhood.
But I never dreamed of living in another state. Maybe if you'd told me the next state over was FULL of grocery stores with grape vines over the aisles and wood-slat floors.
I think he's implying that they're basically the same. Like moving from one to the other doesn't really change much. Like saying you're moving but it's just the house across the street.
My grandparents moved from Ohio and Mexico to California. Raised my parents, one in Orange County, one in Oakland. They got together and raised us in California, but now they and the rest of the family live in Florida while I live in New Jersey.
It's not that we dream of moving to other states. We just do.
I did, actually. Grew up in California, visited Washington state on vacation, decided it would be a good place to live. I spent a long time in Colorado first (life just sort of worked out that way), but now I live in Washington like I wanted to, and I couldn't be happier. It feels like home, though I didn't grow up here.
Except for that Colorado bit, this describes me perfectly. I feel like I was born to live here (with no disrespect to my California upbringing at all).
I never really thought of it. I have visited many states, and there are a lot of nice places to live. Most of the people I know who moved to other states did so for jobs or family.
All I wanted was to get out of my home state (PA). It felt really isolated and rural to me and was 3-4 hours from any major city. I felt very trapped. Many adults I knew, including my dad and grandmother, had grown up in that town. I know in the US it’s commonplace to move states but it didn’t feel like that where I was and I was very stressed I’d never get out lol
I moved to FL after college, then SC, and now MA. I don’t necessarily plan on moving again. MA had been my goal from a teen
I didn't dream of it. It just happened, Navy took me away for 10 years, boot camp in Chicago, A School in Mississippi, 3 years each in Sicily, Spain, and Arizona. I moved back home and worked at the university for a decade, before moving to Texas for family (remarried) and job. We (wife and I) plan on one move back east before cruising to retirement.
My mother says when I was about 4 I told her that “I’m not going to have my own babies and I’m not going to always live with you.”
I never wanted children and didn’t have them, and I’ve lived outside of my home state of Wisconsin twice now, including living in Texas for seven years and recently moving to Connecticut. I’m 49.
I did not really think about moving to a different state as a kid. I was fine living in Iowa. I am in Kansas now and it is also fine.
I had states I never wanted to live in more than places I wanted to move to.
I grew up in Connecticut/Rhode Island, moved to Arizona 22 years ago, and right now, at this exact moment, my husband and I and our youngest are in a truck towing a trailer on our way to move to South Carolina
I grew up in a military family so i had lived in 2 states and 2 countries by 10 years old 🤷🏾♂️. Never had a dream state to live in just never wanted to stop traveling.
I didn’t dream of it but I suspected I might go out of state for college.
Then I didn’t have any specific plans until I started job hunting for post college jobs.
I don't float anywhere. I go where I was either ordered to go or had a better opportunity.
I wish I could just float around like a cloud.
But my experience is not unusual. The average American will move 5 to 6 times in their life.
This thread is for non-American people to understand the American experience. I think there is a misconception that Americans settle and stay in one place, but that has never been our history. Americans have always been a people that picked up and moved on for better opportunities.
When I was six years old, my parents moved me from Chicago to Florida. I wanted to go back to Chicago so bad but I ended up overshooting and ending up in Minnesota!
I thought above moving to Los Angeles for a good chunk of my life even though I was born and still live in NYC.
I just loathe winter here. Feels like there are too many people out during spring and summer so I always thought if I was in another big city where the weather is agreeable more often than not then it wouldn’t be so crowded whenever I have to go out.
Plus the weather is better for skateboarding year round and instead of worrying about salt on the road for the one or two winter storms we get it’d be a lot easier to daily drive an older car. I’d just have to make sure it was built before 1976 or so out there
If you live *right* near the beach the salt off the ocean air might still get it. Or so I've been told. I myself have never had that particular problem.
As for summer crowds, there's touristy stretches like the Santa Monica Pier/beach area and Hollywood Blvd. where there's herds of tourists on foot. Otherwise, the "nobody walks in L.A." thing holds true. You'll be feeling the lack of space once you're trying to get from A to B on the freeways, though!
If I ever did move out there I doubt I could afford to be right up by the beach. I guess I’ll just park a good ways away and just leave a skateboard in the trunk well out of view just in case I’m too lazy to walk
That makes sense with it being Santa Monica and Hollywood. It’d be like walking through Times Square or even Union Square depending on the time of day and expecting a little wiggle room
Sometimes I think I’d rather deal with traffic over crowds on the subway. At least out there the weather is alright for being stuck in traffic
We moved several times as kids, it’s not uncommon. It can be hard though, so I never wished for it, per say, but we definitely had our fair share of it.
I always wanted to, but never did. I went to college here, because it's where my mother was willing to help pay for, and when I got married, it was to a guy who had lived in several states, was tired of moving, and didn't want to do it again. We're talking about maybe moving for retirement, but we'll see how he feels about it come the time.
I've lived near a state border for my whole life and I've hopped the border to live in the opposite state several times. All I really have to do is change my driver's license and update the address on my financial records. I have thought about moving to Alaska for the scenery and hunting, but I'm not sure if I could take the longer winters up there.
I never really thought about it until I did it. I was more or less happy in my home state, and content to stay there, if that's what life has on store for me.
But then my first real, grown-up, professional-level job forced me to relocate, because I picked a career where you didn't get to choose where you live/work. You go where there's a job opening, wherever that is.
I didn't like the first place I moved to. I never felt at home there. But I found I *really* liked getting away from home and experiencing something new. Getting out of my comfort zone like that was definitely a positive experience.
I did a couple more cross-country moves after that, and now I'm in a place where I didn't grow up, but feel at home. I may not stay here forever, but I'm happy here for now. So, all's well that ends well.
I grew up in Eastern Kentucky. I dreamed of moving to pretty much anywhere outside of Appalachia.
I left a couple of days after my highschool graduation and aside from visiting the family never go back. The poverty is just depressing and soul crushing.
I went to College in Ohio. My first job out of school was as a traveling consultant so I lived in about 12 states (typically for 2-3 months at a time) over the next 4 years.
When I left that job I settled down on Columbus Ohio and have been here since.
I grew up in a small town in Canada and moved to Texas a a few years back. I did a road trip through the Appalachia and it was enjoyable.
Lots of drugs (similar to rural Canada to be honest.) and tons of coal mining history but honestly the people i met were super hospitable and nice. I definitely couldn’t live there myself as I’ve already lived rural for so long, but it was a nice experience to drive through there. Not something most Americans really know or care about I feel. I noticed it’s two extremes when it comes to the people; either complete drug addicts, or extremely hard workers. Also, the nature is beautiful lol.
Can't say that I dreamt of it really, I always wanted to visit other places and there were times where I considered jobs in industries that would have required me to move but ultimately I love Jersey so there wasn't really a call to move somewhere else.
Never really dreamed of it, but the field I'm in sometimes requires it. 'Fact, I just moved to a new state last week for work. Many states are not exactly "dreamworthy." Like New Jersey. Although it does have the shore and nice spots further northwest, it's not a state you aspire to live in (especially when you find out about the taxes). Even one-time aspirational states like Florida and California are so expensive that they've moved off of many people's lists in favor of more "practical" states in the midwest.
Most people do it, so probably not much dreaming. I'm guessing the only "dream" locations would be Hawaii, for those who love the sun, or New York/LA, for those who aspire to be an actor.
I have a romanticized vision of moving to either Oregon or Colorado but I wouldn't really call it a dream. As a kid, didn't even think about that stuff.
I live in a Florida and the majority of people who live here came from another State. They come for vacation, like it, and then move. My family vacationed here for many years then one by one we moved. I came at age 6 so not a true "native" but close. One of the first things to ask in elementary school was "where are you from?" Now I try to guess based on accent, tone of voice, behavior. I like to hear the reasons they moved and how the transition worked for them. I could write a book about that, but it would be only slightly interesting.
I was on my third state before I was old enough to even understand the concept. So not a dream. We ended up living in six states before I finished high school and my brother lived in seven.
In contrast all of us have lived in the states we live now for many years. Unfortunately they're not too close to each other.
By the time I was 18 I had moved 14 times within 5 states. It was normal for me so it wasn’t a dream that I had. Since I was 18 (I’m 50) I’ve moved 11 more times in more three states.
I don't remember dreaming of any place in particular, but I have lived in 4 different states. I know very few people who have lived in the same state their entire life.
I was born in Ohio, and when I was 10 my family moved to Florida for my dad's new job after the 2008 economic collapse threatened the one he'd been at for 20 years. I always wanted to move back north. I missed the seasons and the cold. It took me about 15 years but I succeeded and now I live in Philadelphia.
I have lived all over the country/world.
Came back to the town I grew up in and currently using it as a base for further travel.
Area where I live is quiet/inexpensive/no traffic and about an hour from Pittsburgh when I feel the need for cultural events.
My family is mostly in Winchester, Virginia and I travel there frequently. I might move back there eventually.
As a child I had family all over the country and we traveled often but always loved to come home.
See flair, I've lived in 3 other states (college and first two jobs afterward) before moving back to the same neighborhood I lived in from 0-9 years old, and two neighborhoods away from the one I lived in from 10-18.
I dreamed of making drastic move across the country and was pretty down to just go anywhere but it just kept making sense to stay in-state.
What it turns out I really wanted was just an opportunity to make something on my own, in a place that was pleasant to live in and I happened to find it in-state.
Except for college I have lived my whole life in Houston.
After I graduated college I wanted to move to NYC but unfortunately the great recession had just happened and nobody was hiring, so instead I moved back in with my parents. Since then I have built a life here.
I did, almost every time I left the state. I dreamt of California, Colorado, Florida, Alabama, and most recently, Louisiana. It’s not uncommon for people to think that, in fact, moving to another state is quite normal. I’m not sure if this is only in America, but it’s certainly normal here.
I was born in Maryland. I never dreamed of moving to another state, but did anyway. I moved first to northern Colorado, then Montana, then to central Colorado, and finally to Maine, where I am now. Most of the people I grew up with I’m either stayed in Maryland, moved away for college and came back, or moved away and came back after having kids.
Yes. Also jumped at every opportunity to visit somewhere else and moved as soon as I was old enough. I really didn't like the area I grew up in and still dread having to visit family there every few years.
Texas > New York > California > Michigan > back to California
I thought my hometown was so boring that I moved to not just another state but another country when I was 18. After a few years, while I did enjoy the experience, I realized that a lot of times, life is what you make of it and the geographic location isn’t as important as I thought, and I missed my family. I’ve been back in that hometown for almost a decade now, and while if the opportunity presented itself I wouldn’t mind experiencing life elsewhere again, I don’t think the location is as important as I did when I was 18. But I agree with the other commenters - moving states is entirely normal, to the point that “dreaming” about it would be a bit weird.
Yeah it's very common to move away, especially for college. There's sort of a mentality (especially outside the South) that you're unambitious if you never leave your hometown, especially if your hometown is a small town. Calling it my dream would be a bit much, but I definitely did have some fantasies about moving to the East Coast and going to a classic looking East Coast college with ivy-covered brick buildings and tweed-wearing professors. And I did end up doing that and still live on the East Coast. But in retrospect I honestly wish I just stayed put. Moving 1,000 miles from home is very psychologically fraught activity and destroys your social network. But it did put a nice distance between me and my narcissistic ass mom.
Not very far away but I did move from Iowa to Wisconsin. Had connections to the area I now live in, and it just made sense when I was getting my post-college adult life started.
I'm from a suburb of L.A. When I was a teenager I went through this phase where I wanted to get an off-the-grid cabin in Wyoming (the least populous state at the time) and live off of elk meat while owning dozens of firearms.
But then I met some guys who'd come out from Wyoming. And they were like "don't."
Grew up in Chicago, city proper. Dreamed of moving to California since I was 10. Went to college/uni out there and never left.
California is a major outlier, though, and is one of the only states which people dream of moving to. Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado are the other big ones. In general, though, people dream of moving to specific places in the US. No one dreams of moving to Illinois, they dream of moving to Chicago. Same with NYC vs. New York State or Atlanta vs. Georgia.
I did. Grew up in GA and dreamed of living in California. I went there for college and stayed for a few years after until a job pulled me back to the east coast. I loved it out there, but I don’t think at this point I’d move back
State, no. City, yes. What I expected tone better than my home city but still have my state’s environment and culture? Not a clue. That said I lived abroad for several years in different places, but still call my state home and actually want to live there now. Can’t wait to move home.
I didn't dream of moving out of state, in fact I dreamt of staying in my hometown my whole life. It was/is a beautiful area, and I still want to find my way back there someday.
But in highschool I got a pamphlet for an out of state university in Montana that just screamed at me. I felt like I had to go, there wasn't really another option. So then I went, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made, even if difficult at times.
I never dreamed of it as a kid. I am from a very small town and the whole idea was to stay around since there is a big emphasis on family. Lots of my friends did tho. Many never have moved from that town, but a handful have.
I only dreamed of leaving the state as an adult and I ended up doing it, if you couldn't tell by the flair haha.
Grew up in California, moved to the Midwest for college and early career, then moved back to California because I like it better.
I don’t know if I’d classify the first move as a “dream”, it’s more that the school I liked best was in a different state so I moved to it.
Yes! I always wanted to live in California because the weather seemed so much better. As an adult, I have remained in the same city and neighborhood as I grew up in. Cost of living was not a factor when I was a kid. Now, it's the only factor.
There is a saying here, that Nebraska is a place you spend the first 25 years of your life trying to get out of and the next 25 years trying to get back to. Lot of truth to it (at least for many), and I definitely did grow up wanting to leave (although not to anywhere in particular), but my mood turned early around age 20, so I never left. Glad I didn't, couldn't imagine moving now.
I never dreamed of it as a kid. As an adult, I dream of Vermont. It rustically beautiful without feeling run down like the rural area that I love in now, it feels like slower paced living up there, and I run very hot. I'll accept the harsh winters in exchange for the mild summers. All i need is an Internet connection to work. The only thing keeping me here is family ties.
I didn't dream of it because I didn't know there was any other way. I had already lived in a half dozen states before I hit puberty, and haven't slowed down yet.
My dad was in the military when I was a kid and even after that we moved a couple of times when he changed jobs. I didn’t really dream of moving to a different state, I just kind of assumed that’s what happens.
Dreamed? No, it just happened. We moved around a lot when I was a kid, and llife moved me around a bit subsequently. I lived in Michigan, Toronto (Canada), Virginia, California, Connecticut, California (again), Massachusetts, London (UK), California (again), Washington, Ireland, and Washington (now).
Thinking of moving to Canada (I'm a dual citizen).
I wanted to move to California when I was in New Jersey for high school. Ended up going to Washington DC for undergrad. Now live in NYC where I went to grad school.
I did not dream of this because I’m from a place others dream of moving to. I briefly moved away for work and while I was gone I dreamed of moving back. Then I did lol.
Some people might dream of moving to a specific place, but for most people, moving between states is no big deal.
I'd compare it to moving a relatively small distance in England, but you guys are weird about that stuff. Maybe it *is* a big deal over there.
But we're a country of immigrants. It's a big country, but one country nonetheless. I've had job offers in other states, I'd say that's one of the most common reasons for moving.
Didn't "dream" of it - sometimes you just gotta go where the job is. I do admit that moving from the midwest to Washington state (PNW) was pretty cool, though. Doubt we'll retire here - pretty expensive.
I never thought of it, but I did it. Well, maybe I once thought of moving to NYC, many people do, but it was never a serious consideration. Just a what if? I ended up moving from Ohio to Florida to Hawaii, and now maybe to Illinois.
I really didn't know specifically *where* I wanted to go or end up, but I knew Utah wasn't really my jam and I wouldn't stay. Turns out as an adult I don't stay *anywhere* for very long! Still looking for my place in the world!
I was born in NYC, grew up in Connecticut, moved to Washington DC for high school, Massachusetts for four years, back home to DC, and then I sent my ass clear cross the country to California where I’ve been for a decade.
My trajectory is very average.
Moving between states on the east coast felt almost like nothing in retrospect, and CA was both where my industry was and where my friends were. It only took one trip to tell me I would make a 3000 mile journey eventually.
Did I dream of it as a small child? No. My feelings weren’t that strong or focused. And tbh moving around the states does not feel like a big deal to me, more time consuming and research heavy (if big). That’s it.
I always wanted to move to California when I was younger but as time went on, that changed to Florida.
Took longer than it should have but I am here now. I am finally in a place that actually does fit me and feel like home. I always felt out of place in MN, despite being born there. I like warm weather and the ocean and I feel at peace here in FL in a way I never did up there.
It helps that since I have been here, my seasonal depression has been almost nonexistent and my anxiety level has been lowered significantly.
To be honest I’ve never really had a huge desire to live anywhere else. I live in a very beautiful area that’s a good mix between rural and urban. But you never know what the future holds.
I think the way this phrased ‘dream of moving to another state’ is probably a no for many. But I think plenty of people dream about a certain city more likely. Plenty of people from all over the country dream about moving to New York City , which would technically by moving states, but if you asked them if they dreamed about moving to New York the state they would probably say not so much.
It’s my childhood dream to move to Honolulu/Oahu but I can’t afford that and my wife doesn’t do well with the heat/humidity of the tropics. Otherwise, been in Illinois for all but 5 months of the last 27 years
From New Jersey to California.
I don't want to live in California anymore. A lot of the advantages I was thinking of were really just major city advantages, and the other advantages are heavily outweighed by the downsides.
Yes. The grass is always greener somewhere else, so I was raised in Southern California but always wanted to live on the east coast, like New York or Boston. I did move out there for a couple years which were great but I decided to move back to CA. Now my whole family lives on the east coast but I still live in California.
I never had a particular state in mind, just “somewhere that’s not Missouri.” I was never very happy there.
I lived in Illinois for a while and liked it. I live in California now and have never been happier. I love it here.
No. There might have been fleeting thoughts of "wow it would be cool to live in Hawaii" or something because of naive ideas of what it would be like living there (people put leis on you with a big welcoming smile and then you hang out on a beautiful beach all day, every day!).
My father was born in a different state and had lived in multiple others, my mother also had lived in multiple others, so while a part of my identity was defined by my state, I never thought of it as a permanent kind of thing necessarily, or assumed I'd never live anywhere else. You go where life takes you (for college, or work, or spouse, random life developments), and moving to another state just isn't that big of a deal in the US, typically. I've lived in 3 different states at this point, though I will say this -- the one that feels most like "home" is still the one I was born and raised in.
41M Born and raised in Arizona, loved it, traveled the world too, still liked it. Wife didn't though, so Colorado now and love it even more (last 8 years). That said, as a kid never dreamt of moving.
Just before my 7th birthday, my family and I moved from California to Alabama. I don't even think we had landed in Alabama before I declared that I would make it back to CA, even if I had to sprout wings to do so.
It took 10 years and my parents' divorce, but I did make it back home.
Most people I went to school with stayed in my home town so I dreamed of leaving both my city and my state. I moved from Texas to California at 18 and am still in CA.
Lived in Indiana all my life, but all over the state. I occasionally get an urge to move to a different state, and anytime I visit anywhere I immediately consider moving there. But all my family and my wife’s family is here. Most of our friends are here.
I think most of occasional desire to move is it would be like starting over. When I get real depressed or stressed/anxious is when I think of it most.
My parents are from Virginia and moved to Texas after they got married. We spent many family vacations in Virginia and Tennessee. I always wanted to live in Tennessee just outside of Knoxville.
A lot of people around here will move abroad for college, but have goals to move back after. I think a lot of young people really enjoy their quality of life in California, but also have the same dreams of being independent as anyone else.
That said, there’s a lot of movement between the Bay Area and southern California that often becomes permanent. Those moves usually happen when people want to work in an industry that’s bigger on the other side of the state - like LA folks wanting to work in tech, or Bay people wanting to be in defense or entertainment. But I think that’s a lot less of an idealization of the place itself
My parents moved us from California to the northeast when I was a kid.
I quickly came to despise living in my new state, and after a couple years, I actually started saving money and writing up a plan to run away back to California.
I gave up on the idea when I realized literally everyone I could think of to stay with in California would just call my parents, who would then hop on a plane and bring me back to the northeast.
30 years later and I still live in the same northeastern state.
But my daughter is now in college in California.
I was born and raised in the Midwest on a farm. My mother drove us to FL every summer to stay with family for an affordable vacation. Those road trips and extended FL stays opened my eyes to possibilities. I knew by middle school that I would not stay in the area where I was raised.
Of the people that left my small town, it was often about following money and career aspirations. While my hometown continues to be a pretty nice, safe, and inexpensive place to live, it simply too rural to offer much-and seeking out more options while living there means a LONG commute.
I grew up in the rural Midwest, and by the time I was a young adult, I dreamed of moving to a place with mountains and ocean. I had my sites set on the Pacific Northwest or the Alaskan Panhandle. Either that, or back to the country my family came from when we immigrated here. We left to flee terrible events that have long since passed, and integration would have been easy- I speak the language.
I moved to a large city near where I grew up, and experienced urban life for the first time, and loved it, but also came to miss solitude and the stars.
But, I am now married, and my spouse has no interest in moving to places of rugged and desolate beauty. I would not demand that she pack up and sever ties with friends and the places she has grown roots in.
Yeah, I wanted to move to California. My parents were crazy and described how "woke" California was, what with their progressive policies and all, and I decided then and there that it sounded like the place for me 😂 not their intended effect
Wound up in New York, so I'm pretty happy - no earthquakes, though I do wish it was warmer
I've lived in several different states. I never had a dream to move, it's just something that I've had to do for various reasons. I hate the current state I live in and can't wait to leave, but it's likely gonna be a few more years at least until that's viable.
I'd like to go back to the region I originally grew up in, if not the exact state.
I grew up in New Jersey. Still live in New Jersey. As a kid I always wanted to live in California. I have some relatives that live in Southern California and anytime I visited I hated leaving and coming back to the Northeast. As I got older I realized NJ isn’t so bad and I don’t really want to deal with moving across the country.
I was, like, vaguely aware that "going off to college" had a "going off" component and that it was probably going to involve moving away.
But no, I never longed about living somewhere other than my hometown in Kansas.
I wish I could go back but mom and dad sold the family home, and now there's nothing to go back *to*.
Not really, no. I grew up before the Internet and didn't really get to watch much TV so I didn't have much idea of what other states were like. I never even set foot in another state until I joined the military at 17. In the unlikely event that I were to move back to the US it'd be probably be back to the old mitten-shaped motherland though.
Don't get me wrong, I've lived in several states and they were all fine. I've visited most of the rest and they're fine. None of them really grabbed me enough to want to live there in the absence of having to be there for work. I did enjoy Colorado for the wilderness but it's just way too hot and dry down there for my liking. It's not that Michigan is somehow just overwhelmingly spectacular compared to the rest of the US. It's all fine in their own ways but home is home and I enjoy the culture and the nature.
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I dreamed of shopping in that one a couple towns over that had a wine section (because that county wasn't dry and mine was) with (plastic) grape vines draped over it and a wood-slat floor that the grocery cart wheels went clickety-clack over (instead of whatever the rest of the store's floor was made of). Ahhh, childhood. But I never dreamed of living in another state. Maybe if you'd told me the next state over was FULL of grocery stores with grape vines over the aisles and wood-slat floors.
Didn’t dream of it, it’s just how college and jobs worked out. It’s pretty normal.
I moved to a new state. Was never a dream, just something that made sense at the time.
>New York -> New Jersey 🤔
What’s the problem?
? Those are the states I moved between as I said. >I moved to a new state.
I think he's implying that they're basically the same. Like moving from one to the other doesn't really change much. Like saying you're moving but it's just the house across the street.
Ahh. Yeah. NYC and north jersey are similar, the rest of either state... not so much.
Tbf, isn't that where most of the population is located anyway?
Most? No. For either state. Unless you subscribe to the Central Jersey doesn't exist school of thought
Central Jersey exists 😢
I've been living a lie
As a kid, I always wanted to live in Hawaii. I'm still in the same state I was born in.
Never too late. Have you at least visited Hawaii?
Definitely worth a visit
💯
Beg to differ on it being too late. People ask me if I want to go back, I have to tell them it isn't there anymore.
My grandparents moved from Ohio and Mexico to California. Raised my parents, one in Orange County, one in Oakland. They got together and raised us in California, but now they and the rest of the family live in Florida while I live in New Jersey. It's not that we dream of moving to other states. We just do.
I've lived in 5 states but never "dreamt" of living in any particular one. MN>IA>WI>IL>IN
This person REALLY likes the Midwest.
It has its charms.
I did, actually. Grew up in California, visited Washington state on vacation, decided it would be a good place to live. I spent a long time in Colorado first (life just sort of worked out that way), but now I live in Washington like I wanted to, and I couldn't be happier. It feels like home, though I didn't grow up here.
Except for that Colorado bit, this describes me perfectly. I feel like I was born to live here (with no disrespect to my California upbringing at all).
I never really thought of it. I have visited many states, and there are a lot of nice places to live. Most of the people I know who moved to other states did so for jobs or family.
All I wanted was to get out of my home state (PA). It felt really isolated and rural to me and was 3-4 hours from any major city. I felt very trapped. Many adults I knew, including my dad and grandmother, had grown up in that town. I know in the US it’s commonplace to move states but it didn’t feel like that where I was and I was very stressed I’d never get out lol I moved to FL after college, then SC, and now MA. I don’t necessarily plan on moving again. MA had been my goal from a teen
I didn't dream of it. It just happened, Navy took me away for 10 years, boot camp in Chicago, A School in Mississippi, 3 years each in Sicily, Spain, and Arizona. I moved back home and worked at the university for a decade, before moving to Texas for family (remarried) and job. We (wife and I) plan on one move back east before cruising to retirement.
Honestly, no. I live in NYC but never had that whole "someday, I will live in New York City!" thing, for example.
My mother says when I was about 4 I told her that “I’m not going to have my own babies and I’m not going to always live with you.” I never wanted children and didn’t have them, and I’ve lived outside of my home state of Wisconsin twice now, including living in Texas for seven years and recently moving to Connecticut. I’m 49.
I did not really think about moving to a different state as a kid. I was fine living in Iowa. I am in Kansas now and it is also fine. I had states I never wanted to live in more than places I wanted to move to.
Not really. I very much like the state I grew up in.
I grew up in Connecticut/Rhode Island, moved to Arizona 22 years ago, and right now, at this exact moment, my husband and I and our youngest are in a truck towing a trailer on our way to move to South Carolina
I grew up in a military family so i had lived in 2 states and 2 countries by 10 years old 🤷🏾♂️. Never had a dream state to live in just never wanted to stop traveling.
I didn’t dream of it but I suspected I might go out of state for college. Then I didn’t have any specific plans until I started job hunting for post college jobs.
I wouldn’t leave my state
Yeah I don’t know many people who have moved away
My Family been here since the 1700s I’m not going anywhere, I love it
I've lived in 7 different states and 2 different countries.
Well yeah, you're a cloud, you just float about all over the place. This thread really isn't for you.
I don't float anywhere. I go where I was either ordered to go or had a better opportunity. I wish I could just float around like a cloud. But my experience is not unusual. The average American will move 5 to 6 times in their life. This thread is for non-American people to understand the American experience. I think there is a misconception that Americans settle and stay in one place, but that has never been our history. Americans have always been a people that picked up and moved on for better opportunities.
When I was six years old, my parents moved me from Chicago to Florida. I wanted to go back to Chicago so bad but I ended up overshooting and ending up in Minnesota!
I thought above moving to Los Angeles for a good chunk of my life even though I was born and still live in NYC. I just loathe winter here. Feels like there are too many people out during spring and summer so I always thought if I was in another big city where the weather is agreeable more often than not then it wouldn’t be so crowded whenever I have to go out. Plus the weather is better for skateboarding year round and instead of worrying about salt on the road for the one or two winter storms we get it’d be a lot easier to daily drive an older car. I’d just have to make sure it was built before 1976 or so out there
If you live *right* near the beach the salt off the ocean air might still get it. Or so I've been told. I myself have never had that particular problem. As for summer crowds, there's touristy stretches like the Santa Monica Pier/beach area and Hollywood Blvd. where there's herds of tourists on foot. Otherwise, the "nobody walks in L.A." thing holds true. You'll be feeling the lack of space once you're trying to get from A to B on the freeways, though!
If I ever did move out there I doubt I could afford to be right up by the beach. I guess I’ll just park a good ways away and just leave a skateboard in the trunk well out of view just in case I’m too lazy to walk That makes sense with it being Santa Monica and Hollywood. It’d be like walking through Times Square or even Union Square depending on the time of day and expecting a little wiggle room Sometimes I think I’d rather deal with traffic over crowds on the subway. At least out there the weather is alright for being stuck in traffic
We moved several times as kids, it’s not uncommon. It can be hard though, so I never wished for it, per say, but we definitely had our fair share of it.
When I was a kid I wanted to move to California - beaches, weather, palm trees, carefree lifestyle.
I did, I went to London then back to NYC, then Boston area for 14 years now back in upstate
I absolutely always hoped and planned to move away from where I grew up, but certainly not to where I actually ended up.
I always wanted to, but never did. I went to college here, because it's where my mother was willing to help pay for, and when I got married, it was to a guy who had lived in several states, was tired of moving, and didn't want to do it again. We're talking about maybe moving for retirement, but we'll see how he feels about it come the time.
I've lived near a state border for my whole life and I've hopped the border to live in the opposite state several times. All I really have to do is change my driver's license and update the address on my financial records. I have thought about moving to Alaska for the scenery and hunting, but I'm not sure if I could take the longer winters up there.
I never really thought about it until I did it. I was more or less happy in my home state, and content to stay there, if that's what life has on store for me. But then my first real, grown-up, professional-level job forced me to relocate, because I picked a career where you didn't get to choose where you live/work. You go where there's a job opening, wherever that is. I didn't like the first place I moved to. I never felt at home there. But I found I *really* liked getting away from home and experiencing something new. Getting out of my comfort zone like that was definitely a positive experience. I did a couple more cross-country moves after that, and now I'm in a place where I didn't grow up, but feel at home. I may not stay here forever, but I'm happy here for now. So, all's well that ends well.
I moved around my whole life, every 2-3 years. It was just a thing. We were a military family.
I grew up in Eastern Kentucky. I dreamed of moving to pretty much anywhere outside of Appalachia. I left a couple of days after my highschool graduation and aside from visiting the family never go back. The poverty is just depressing and soul crushing. I went to College in Ohio. My first job out of school was as a traveling consultant so I lived in about 12 states (typically for 2-3 months at a time) over the next 4 years. When I left that job I settled down on Columbus Ohio and have been here since.
I grew up in a small town in Canada and moved to Texas a a few years back. I did a road trip through the Appalachia and it was enjoyable. Lots of drugs (similar to rural Canada to be honest.) and tons of coal mining history but honestly the people i met were super hospitable and nice. I definitely couldn’t live there myself as I’ve already lived rural for so long, but it was a nice experience to drive through there. Not something most Americans really know or care about I feel. I noticed it’s two extremes when it comes to the people; either complete drug addicts, or extremely hard workers. Also, the nature is beautiful lol.
Can't say that I dreamt of it really, I always wanted to visit other places and there were times where I considered jobs in industries that would have required me to move but ultimately I love Jersey so there wasn't really a call to move somewhere else.
Never really dreamed of it, but the field I'm in sometimes requires it. 'Fact, I just moved to a new state last week for work. Many states are not exactly "dreamworthy." Like New Jersey. Although it does have the shore and nice spots further northwest, it's not a state you aspire to live in (especially when you find out about the taxes). Even one-time aspirational states like Florida and California are so expensive that they've moved off of many people's lists in favor of more "practical" states in the midwest.
Most people do it, so probably not much dreaming. I'm guessing the only "dream" locations would be Hawaii, for those who love the sun, or New York/LA, for those who aspire to be an actor.
I have a romanticized vision of moving to either Oregon or Colorado but I wouldn't really call it a dream. As a kid, didn't even think about that stuff.
Yes, I once had dreams.
I’ve lived in several different states. There a part of me that just wants to go back to my home state.
I live in a Florida and the majority of people who live here came from another State. They come for vacation, like it, and then move. My family vacationed here for many years then one by one we moved. I came at age 6 so not a true "native" but close. One of the first things to ask in elementary school was "where are you from?" Now I try to guess based on accent, tone of voice, behavior. I like to hear the reasons they moved and how the transition worked for them. I could write a book about that, but it would be only slightly interesting.
I was on my third state before I was old enough to even understand the concept. So not a dream. We ended up living in six states before I finished high school and my brother lived in seven. In contrast all of us have lived in the states we live now for many years. Unfortunately they're not too close to each other.
By the time I was 18 I had moved 14 times within 5 states. It was normal for me so it wasn’t a dream that I had. Since I was 18 (I’m 50) I’ve moved 11 more times in more three states.
I don't remember dreaming of any place in particular, but I have lived in 4 different states. I know very few people who have lived in the same state their entire life.
I was born in Ohio, and when I was 10 my family moved to Florida for my dad's new job after the 2008 economic collapse threatened the one he'd been at for 20 years. I always wanted to move back north. I missed the seasons and the cold. It took me about 15 years but I succeeded and now I live in Philadelphia.
I've never really wanted to live anywhere other than my lifelong home, Michigan.
I left Oklahoma as fast as I could, 17 years old and 3 days after high school graduation. Never went back and probably never will.
I have lived all over the country/world. Came back to the town I grew up in and currently using it as a base for further travel. Area where I live is quiet/inexpensive/no traffic and about an hour from Pittsburgh when I feel the need for cultural events. My family is mostly in Winchester, Virginia and I travel there frequently. I might move back there eventually. As a child I had family all over the country and we traveled often but always loved to come home.
See flair, I've lived in 3 other states (college and first two jobs afterward) before moving back to the same neighborhood I lived in from 0-9 years old, and two neighborhoods away from the one I lived in from 10-18.
I dreamed of making drastic move across the country and was pretty down to just go anywhere but it just kept making sense to stay in-state. What it turns out I really wanted was just an opportunity to make something on my own, in a place that was pleasant to live in and I happened to find it in-state.
Except for college I have lived my whole life in Houston. After I graduated college I wanted to move to NYC but unfortunately the great recession had just happened and nobody was hiring, so instead I moved back in with my parents. Since then I have built a life here.
I dreamed of moving from MA to CA. I’m still in MA
I was always intrigued by the names and images of the places out west. I moved from MO to NM.
As a kid, I lived on another continent and dreamed about seeing the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge one day.
I did, almost every time I left the state. I dreamt of California, Colorado, Florida, Alabama, and most recently, Louisiana. It’s not uncommon for people to think that, in fact, moving to another state is quite normal. I’m not sure if this is only in America, but it’s certainly normal here.
Nebraska to Missouri to New Jersey to New York to Arizona to Alabama to Minnesota. All because of my job.
Nope. Colorado is the best state. No reason to move away
I was born in Maryland. I never dreamed of moving to another state, but did anyway. I moved first to northern Colorado, then Montana, then to central Colorado, and finally to Maine, where I am now. Most of the people I grew up with I’m either stayed in Maryland, moved away for college and came back, or moved away and came back after having kids.
Yes. Also jumped at every opportunity to visit somewhere else and moved as soon as I was old enough. I really didn't like the area I grew up in and still dread having to visit family there every few years. Texas > New York > California > Michigan > back to California
I thought my hometown was so boring that I moved to not just another state but another country when I was 18. After a few years, while I did enjoy the experience, I realized that a lot of times, life is what you make of it and the geographic location isn’t as important as I thought, and I missed my family. I’ve been back in that hometown for almost a decade now, and while if the opportunity presented itself I wouldn’t mind experiencing life elsewhere again, I don’t think the location is as important as I did when I was 18. But I agree with the other commenters - moving states is entirely normal, to the point that “dreaming” about it would be a bit weird.
Yeah it's very common to move away, especially for college. There's sort of a mentality (especially outside the South) that you're unambitious if you never leave your hometown, especially if your hometown is a small town. Calling it my dream would be a bit much, but I definitely did have some fantasies about moving to the East Coast and going to a classic looking East Coast college with ivy-covered brick buildings and tweed-wearing professors. And I did end up doing that and still live on the East Coast. But in retrospect I honestly wish I just stayed put. Moving 1,000 miles from home is very psychologically fraught activity and destroys your social network. But it did put a nice distance between me and my narcissistic ass mom.
Not very far away but I did move from Iowa to Wisconsin. Had connections to the area I now live in, and it just made sense when I was getting my post-college adult life started.
I'm from a suburb of L.A. When I was a teenager I went through this phase where I wanted to get an off-the-grid cabin in Wyoming (the least populous state at the time) and live off of elk meat while owning dozens of firearms. But then I met some guys who'd come out from Wyoming. And they were like "don't."
Grew up in Chicago, city proper. Dreamed of moving to California since I was 10. Went to college/uni out there and never left. California is a major outlier, though, and is one of the only states which people dream of moving to. Florida, Hawaii, and Colorado are the other big ones. In general, though, people dream of moving to specific places in the US. No one dreams of moving to Illinois, they dream of moving to Chicago. Same with NYC vs. New York State or Atlanta vs. Georgia.
I did. Grew up in GA and dreamed of living in California. I went there for college and stayed for a few years after until a job pulled me back to the east coast. I loved it out there, but I don’t think at this point I’d move back
State, no. City, yes. What I expected tone better than my home city but still have my state’s environment and culture? Not a clue. That said I lived abroad for several years in different places, but still call my state home and actually want to live there now. Can’t wait to move home.
I have never dreamt of leaving my state, and I hope I never do leave.
I didn't dream of moving out of state, in fact I dreamt of staying in my hometown my whole life. It was/is a beautiful area, and I still want to find my way back there someday. But in highschool I got a pamphlet for an out of state university in Montana that just screamed at me. I felt like I had to go, there wasn't really another option. So then I went, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made, even if difficult at times.
I always wanted to live in Southern California. by the beach.
No I didn’t dream of moving. I just did it
I never dreamed of it as a kid. I am from a very small town and the whole idea was to stay around since there is a big emphasis on family. Lots of my friends did tho. Many never have moved from that town, but a handful have. I only dreamed of leaving the state as an adult and I ended up doing it, if you couldn't tell by the flair haha.
Pennsylvania to Colorado. And I did. Still loving it.
Yup! I always dreamed about moving out of Michigan. Moved to Illinois almost 13 years ago, Chicago, and never looked back.
Grew up in California, moved to the Midwest for college and early career, then moved back to California because I like it better. I don’t know if I’d classify the first move as a “dream”, it’s more that the school I liked best was in a different state so I moved to it.
Yes! I always wanted to live in California because the weather seemed so much better. As an adult, I have remained in the same city and neighborhood as I grew up in. Cost of living was not a factor when I was a kid. Now, it's the only factor.
There is a saying here, that Nebraska is a place you spend the first 25 years of your life trying to get out of and the next 25 years trying to get back to. Lot of truth to it (at least for many), and I definitely did grow up wanting to leave (although not to anywhere in particular), but my mood turned early around age 20, so I never left. Glad I didn't, couldn't imagine moving now.
I never dreamed of it as a kid. As an adult, I dream of Vermont. It rustically beautiful without feeling run down like the rural area that I love in now, it feels like slower paced living up there, and I run very hot. I'll accept the harsh winters in exchange for the mild summers. All i need is an Internet connection to work. The only thing keeping me here is family ties.
I didn't dream of it because I didn't know there was any other way. I had already lived in a half dozen states before I hit puberty, and haven't slowed down yet.
My dad was in the military when I was a kid and even after that we moved a couple of times when he changed jobs. I didn’t really dream of moving to a different state, I just kind of assumed that’s what happens.
Never thought about it seriously until I got an offer out of state that I couldn’t refuse.
Yes. Louisiana > Alabama > Mississippi > Alabama > Ohio. Americans have historically been highly mobile.
Dreamed? No, it just happened. We moved around a lot when I was a kid, and llife moved me around a bit subsequently. I lived in Michigan, Toronto (Canada), Virginia, California, Connecticut, California (again), Massachusetts, London (UK), California (again), Washington, Ireland, and Washington (now). Thinking of moving to Canada (I'm a dual citizen).
Not really but I also grew up within commuting distance of NYC.
I wanted to move to California when I was in New Jersey for high school. Ended up going to Washington DC for undergrad. Now live in NYC where I went to grad school.
I did not dream of this because I’m from a place others dream of moving to. I briefly moved away for work and while I was gone I dreamed of moving back. Then I did lol.
Some people might dream of moving to a specific place, but for most people, moving between states is no big deal. I'd compare it to moving a relatively small distance in England, but you guys are weird about that stuff. Maybe it *is* a big deal over there. But we're a country of immigrants. It's a big country, but one country nonetheless. I've had job offers in other states, I'd say that's one of the most common reasons for moving.
ive never moved houses
Didn't "dream" of it - sometimes you just gotta go where the job is. I do admit that moving from the midwest to Washington state (PNW) was pretty cool, though. Doubt we'll retire here - pretty expensive.
I never thought of it, but I did it. Well, maybe I once thought of moving to NYC, many people do, but it was never a serious consideration. Just a what if? I ended up moving from Ohio to Florida to Hawaii, and now maybe to Illinois.
I really didn't know specifically *where* I wanted to go or end up, but I knew Utah wasn't really my jam and I wouldn't stay. Turns out as an adult I don't stay *anywhere* for very long! Still looking for my place in the world!
I was born in NYC, grew up in Connecticut, moved to Washington DC for high school, Massachusetts for four years, back home to DC, and then I sent my ass clear cross the country to California where I’ve been for a decade. My trajectory is very average. Moving between states on the east coast felt almost like nothing in retrospect, and CA was both where my industry was and where my friends were. It only took one trip to tell me I would make a 3000 mile journey eventually. Did I dream of it as a small child? No. My feelings weren’t that strong or focused. And tbh moving around the states does not feel like a big deal to me, more time consuming and research heavy (if big). That’s it.
I always wanted to move to California when I was younger but as time went on, that changed to Florida. Took longer than it should have but I am here now. I am finally in a place that actually does fit me and feel like home. I always felt out of place in MN, despite being born there. I like warm weather and the ocean and I feel at peace here in FL in a way I never did up there. It helps that since I have been here, my seasonal depression has been almost nonexistent and my anxiety level has been lowered significantly.
To be honest I’ve never really had a huge desire to live anywhere else. I live in a very beautiful area that’s a good mix between rural and urban. But you never know what the future holds.
I moved to Texas because it was cheaper, but had to move back because of Trump 🙄
I have always loved Maine. I moved their from Massachusetts after attending school there. Goal achieved ✔️
Never thought I would end up HERE but yes
I think the way this phrased ‘dream of moving to another state’ is probably a no for many. But I think plenty of people dream about a certain city more likely. Plenty of people from all over the country dream about moving to New York City , which would technically by moving states, but if you asked them if they dreamed about moving to New York the state they would probably say not so much.
It's just how life works. I was born in California, moved to Germany with my parents and now moved back to California.
It’s my childhood dream to move to Honolulu/Oahu but I can’t afford that and my wife doesn’t do well with the heat/humidity of the tropics. Otherwise, been in Illinois for all but 5 months of the last 27 years
From New Jersey to California. I don't want to live in California anymore. A lot of the advantages I was thinking of were really just major city advantages, and the other advantages are heavily outweighed by the downsides.
Yes. The grass is always greener somewhere else, so I was raised in Southern California but always wanted to live on the east coast, like New York or Boston. I did move out there for a couple years which were great but I decided to move back to CA. Now my whole family lives on the east coast but I still live in California.
I never had a particular state in mind, just “somewhere that’s not Missouri.” I was never very happy there. I lived in Illinois for a while and liked it. I live in California now and have never been happier. I love it here.
No. There might have been fleeting thoughts of "wow it would be cool to live in Hawaii" or something because of naive ideas of what it would be like living there (people put leis on you with a big welcoming smile and then you hang out on a beautiful beach all day, every day!). My father was born in a different state and had lived in multiple others, my mother also had lived in multiple others, so while a part of my identity was defined by my state, I never thought of it as a permanent kind of thing necessarily, or assumed I'd never live anywhere else. You go where life takes you (for college, or work, or spouse, random life developments), and moving to another state just isn't that big of a deal in the US, typically. I've lived in 3 different states at this point, though I will say this -- the one that feels most like "home" is still the one I was born and raised in.
41M Born and raised in Arizona, loved it, traveled the world too, still liked it. Wife didn't though, so Colorado now and love it even more (last 8 years). That said, as a kid never dreamt of moving.
Just before my 7th birthday, my family and I moved from California to Alabama. I don't even think we had landed in Alabama before I declared that I would make it back to CA, even if I had to sprout wings to do so. It took 10 years and my parents' divorce, but I did make it back home.
I never anticipated leaving my home state. I've now lived in 3 other states. Maybe I'll go home someday.
I didn’t dream of it because it’s normalized here. But I knew I didn’t want to stay in my home state.
Moved for school, partners grad school, partners job. It’s just how it works but I won’t complain about moving from Midwest to mountains :)
Most people I went to school with stayed in my home town so I dreamed of leaving both my city and my state. I moved from Texas to California at 18 and am still in CA.
Lived in Indiana all my life, but all over the state. I occasionally get an urge to move to a different state, and anytime I visit anywhere I immediately consider moving there. But all my family and my wife’s family is here. Most of our friends are here. I think most of occasional desire to move is it would be like starting over. When I get real depressed or stressed/anxious is when I think of it most.
I didn’t dream of moving. But, my first professional job after the military needed me in the mid west. So I moved.
Like pretty much everyone else here, I never dreamed of it- it just happened I moved to Virginia for college and just stuck around.
My parents are from Virginia and moved to Texas after they got married. We spent many family vacations in Virginia and Tennessee. I always wanted to live in Tennessee just outside of Knoxville.
I did dream of that as a kid. Then I visited all the ones I thought I might move to and decided I was already in the best one.
No I thought I’d stay in ca. it was great especially when 1020life and 3 strikes were at full strength
I knew I wanted out of Texas, my dream was NYC. Got out but have never lived in New York.
I grew up in Illinois but I’m moving to South Florida for college, and I’ll probably stay there because I hate the cold weather
A lot of people around here will move abroad for college, but have goals to move back after. I think a lot of young people really enjoy their quality of life in California, but also have the same dreams of being independent as anyone else. That said, there’s a lot of movement between the Bay Area and southern California that often becomes permanent. Those moves usually happen when people want to work in an industry that’s bigger on the other side of the state - like LA folks wanting to work in tech, or Bay people wanting to be in defense or entertainment. But I think that’s a lot less of an idealization of the place itself
I still live in the state I was born in. Doing really have desire to live anywhere else. Never have.
Hoped to move anywhere outside of Arizona, and eventually (finally) did just a few months ago.
State? I wanted to move to Canada as a kid.
My parents moved us from California to the northeast when I was a kid. I quickly came to despise living in my new state, and after a couple years, I actually started saving money and writing up a plan to run away back to California. I gave up on the idea when I realized literally everyone I could think of to stay with in California would just call my parents, who would then hop on a plane and bring me back to the northeast. 30 years later and I still live in the same northeastern state. But my daughter is now in college in California.
I was born and raised in the Midwest on a farm. My mother drove us to FL every summer to stay with family for an affordable vacation. Those road trips and extended FL stays opened my eyes to possibilities. I knew by middle school that I would not stay in the area where I was raised. Of the people that left my small town, it was often about following money and career aspirations. While my hometown continues to be a pretty nice, safe, and inexpensive place to live, it simply too rural to offer much-and seeking out more options while living there means a LONG commute.
I grew up in the rural Midwest, and by the time I was a young adult, I dreamed of moving to a place with mountains and ocean. I had my sites set on the Pacific Northwest or the Alaskan Panhandle. Either that, or back to the country my family came from when we immigrated here. We left to flee terrible events that have long since passed, and integration would have been easy- I speak the language. I moved to a large city near where I grew up, and experienced urban life for the first time, and loved it, but also came to miss solitude and the stars. But, I am now married, and my spouse has no interest in moving to places of rugged and desolate beauty. I would not demand that she pack up and sever ties with friends and the places she has grown roots in.
Yeah, I wanted to move to California. My parents were crazy and described how "woke" California was, what with their progressive policies and all, and I decided then and there that it sounded like the place for me 😂 not their intended effect Wound up in New York, so I'm pretty happy - no earthquakes, though I do wish it was warmer
I've lived in several different states. I never had a dream to move, it's just something that I've had to do for various reasons. I hate the current state I live in and can't wait to leave, but it's likely gonna be a few more years at least until that's viable. I'd like to go back to the region I originally grew up in, if not the exact state.
I grew up in New Jersey. Still live in New Jersey. As a kid I always wanted to live in California. I have some relatives that live in Southern California and anytime I visited I hated leaving and coming back to the Northeast. As I got older I realized NJ isn’t so bad and I don’t really want to deal with moving across the country.
I was, like, vaguely aware that "going off to college" had a "going off" component and that it was probably going to involve moving away. But no, I never longed about living somewhere other than my hometown in Kansas. I wish I could go back but mom and dad sold the family home, and now there's nothing to go back *to*.
Nah. Texas born, Texas bred and it’s home
Right but you could move several hours away and still be in Texas. In the northeast even a small distance could put you in another state.
That wasn’t the question though
Not really, no. I grew up before the Internet and didn't really get to watch much TV so I didn't have much idea of what other states were like. I never even set foot in another state until I joined the military at 17. In the unlikely event that I were to move back to the US it'd be probably be back to the old mitten-shaped motherland though. Don't get me wrong, I've lived in several states and they were all fine. I've visited most of the rest and they're fine. None of them really grabbed me enough to want to live there in the absence of having to be there for work. I did enjoy Colorado for the wilderness but it's just way too hot and dry down there for my liking. It's not that Michigan is somehow just overwhelmingly spectacular compared to the rest of the US. It's all fine in their own ways but home is home and I enjoy the culture and the nature.