Leaving AZ
Jul 11th 2010, 1:25 pm
#17
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Leaving AZ
thanks for the feedback-most inner city areas are dumpy. Flying into AZ the first time- the mountains looked amazing. Once we landed and began driving -it was a different story. The run down shacks, dust balls everywhere, power lines, rinky dinky or what!!- the newer, HOA run suburbs are very nice, clean, spooky quiet!, but you have to drive away from the southern city areas. We live in Surprise and it is spotless. Same like in the UK. East London, or Lozells in Birmingham are not appealing but as you drive out into less built up country areas, it is very appealing. In the Uk my family home is in Bucks, gorgeous countryside, beautiful historic villages etc.
NJ mostly is beautiful. We first lived in Kinnelon- country area with all the lovely, winding back roads like England. Hubby used to live in Paterson when he was little- a really dingy, crime ridden place-until his family moved to Northern NJ- He showed me around NJ alot-I never once got homesick for the country side of England because NJ filled that gap. It was'nt until we moved to AZ, that the overwhelming feelings of wanting to be home came over me. We may not be going back to the UK-unless we miraculously won the lottery!! and can afford to live in those lovely neighbourhoods-but preparing to move back to the East coast has given me a spring in my step!!
NJ mostly is beautiful. We first lived in Kinnelon- country area with all the lovely, winding back roads like England. Hubby used to live in Paterson when he was little- a really dingy, crime ridden place-until his family moved to Northern NJ- He showed me around NJ alot-I never once got homesick for the country side of England because NJ filled that gap. It was'nt until we moved to AZ, that the overwhelming feelings of wanting to be home came over me. We may not be going back to the UK-unless we miraculously won the lottery!! and can afford to live in those lovely neighbourhoods-but preparing to move back to the East coast has given me a spring in my step!!
If I was to play Retseh's game and judge an entire state based on the one small part of it I've visited I'd say Arizona was like a third world country: some amazing landscapes but poverty-stricken and a bit lacking in basic infrastructure and economic opportunities for the locals. A bit like South Africa away from the major cities.
Jul 11th 2010, 4:55 pm
#19
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Leaving AZ
Dagenham was historically in Essex and administratively it only became part of London in 1965. Having grown up in Suffolk I always thought that Essex was part of East Anglia but it seems not everyone agrees. Perhaps a better analogy would have been judging the whole of Essex based on Dagenham.
Last edited by elfman; Jul 11th 2010 at 5:02 pm.
Jul 12th 2010, 2:55 am
#20
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 13,112
Re: Leaving AZ
I had a negative impression of NJ from business trips to Newark (the waste-water treatment plant, no less!) but then I got invited to visit another Brit living in Morristown. What a contrast! It was beautiful. If you can stand the heat and humidity of summer, and the cold winters, it's great.
Jul 12th 2010, 3:07 am
#21
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Leaving AZ
Dagenham was historically in Essex and administratively it only became part of London in 1965. Having grown up in Suffolk I always thought that Essex was part of East Anglia but it seems not everyone agrees. Perhaps a better analogy would have been judging the whole of Essex based on Dagenham.
I can remember when it was.
Jul 12th 2010, 3:25 am
#22
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Leaving AZ
Congratulations on your decision! I'm enjoying AZ but from what you've said, I think you'll be much happier in NJ. I really, really hope you enjoy it ! Keep us posted on your experiences there.
I had a negative impression of NJ from business trips to Newark (the waste-water treatment plant, no less!) but then I got invited to visit another Brit living in Morristown. What a contrast! It was beautiful. If you can stand the heat and humidity of summer, and the cold winters, it's great.
I had a negative impression of NJ from business trips to Newark (the waste-water treatment plant, no less!) but then I got invited to visit another Brit living in Morristown. What a contrast! It was beautiful. If you can stand the heat and humidity of summer, and the cold winters, it's great.
