Where did you grow up and how has it affected you in life?

NorthernLight said:
I'm from southern Ontario (Canada). As everyone from northern Ontario and the rest of Canada knows, we are a miserable bunch. So there you go.
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I spent my first two years in Canada in Southern Ontario and you are definitely NOT a miserable bunch. :) By Maritime standards a bit obsessed with making money but definitely not miserable!

Now Toronto, on the other hand, was universally disliked back in my day! It was too staid and colourless, yet too proud of itself at the same time! Most of us like it now because it has become an exciting city! I, personally, (if I lived there) would love it for its multi culturalism and all the good food that comes with so many cultures mingling! (y);)
 

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fuzzybuddy said:
I was thinking of my old home in Massachusetts, when I ran across a thread by Gael, on March 16, 2014 It seemed as relevant today as it did 9 years ago.

Where did you grow up and how has it affected you in life?​

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I grew up in South Western Germany. First under the Nazis and then under French occupation. I won't repeat a previously told sob story and just mention one thing that really stuck with me: To this day I cannot get myself to throw out food! The few times I absolutely had to do it almost broke my heart!
 
While with my boss waiting for a meeting to start at a large Silicon Valley defense contractor, I glanced out the window and something reminded me of Grandpa's yard. I wondered what the heck I was doing there and knew in that instant that I had wondered too far from home in Portage Lakes, Ohio. I may never make it home again but I do know the Bay Area doesn't fit my soul.
Like Old Salt, my grandma would save her cooking grease to make soap and every scrap of fabric was up to good use.
 
I grew up until 8 years old in a small town in North Carolina. I was surrounded by lots of close friends and we walked to school. My closest cousin also lived in the area. I felt right at home.

My dad moved us to Tampa, FL when I was 9 years old to follow his career. I loved Florida, but I was a fat, effeminate kid who was bullied by the neighbor kids and even some of the adults. I used to cry myself to sleep at night. Integration was just beginning during my junior high years and I was bused across town when there was a school 15 minutes away. It was a difficult time when I didn't feel like I fit in at home or at school.

Due to the riots at public schools, my parents sent me to a private Christian high school. It affected my life big time during those years, and not in a good way.

My college years were great, and eventually I moved to Miami in my 20's with my career and finally felt I could be myself. I now have a great life and the past is the past.
 
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My parents made their home in Bankstown after the end of WWII. Bankstown was a quiet suburb in SW Sydney at that time but the population exploded with soldiers' kids and newly arrived migrant families, mostly from southern Europe. My best friend was from Ukraine by way of Berlin.

It was very much working class. My dad was a government employee and we were not at all posh. Mum and Dad had both grown up in a succession of country towns.

I still live just a couple of suburbs away for the old house; have done so for 57 years now. I'm glad now that I did not grow up in a more salubrious suburb. I am at home here in more ways than one.
 
Happy Heart said:
While with my boss waiting for a meeting to start at a large Silicon Valley defense contractor, I glanced out the window and something reminded me of Grandpa's yard. I wondered what the heck I was doing there and knew in that instant that I had wondered too far from home in Portage Lakes, Ohio. I may never make it home again but I do know the Bay Area doesn't fit my soul.
Like Old Salt, my grandma would save her cooking grease to make soap and every scrap of fabric was up to good use.
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I was at Portage Lakes and Geauga Lakes many times.

My first 9 years were spent in Mentor, Ohio. Them after my parents were killed, I was taken in by my grandparents who owned a small farm at the time in Southeastern Ohio, but grew somewhat larger along the years. Growing up on a farm teaches you many of life's lessons and it prepares you for what lies ahead in the future.
 
I grew up in the New Jersey suburbs of NYC, where my father commuted to work. I liked to visit the city, but wouldn’t have wanted to live there due to the high population density and general lifestyle. Even in the suburbs now, every square inch of land has been developed and redeveloped, and with killer traffic and a relentlessly monied, materialistic lifestyle, I wouldn’t care to live there again.
 
Fyrefox said:
I grew up in the New Jersey suburbs of NYC, where my father commuted to work. I liked to visit the city, but wouldn’t have wanted to live there due to the high population density and general lifestyle. Even in the suburbs now, every square inch of land has been developed and redeveloped, and with killer traffic and a relentlessly monied, materialistic lifestyle, I wouldn’t care to live there again.
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I grew up in Chicago. I am adamant that city living is not for me. I must be surrounded by trees and wildlife. Lots and lots of trees, and lots and lots of wildlife. Owls and woodpeckers too.
 
Teacher Terry said:
I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin between Milwaukee and Chicago. It was nice and you were close to big cities for things you couldn’t do in our town. I still have great friends there that I keep in touch with and visit occasionally and they also come here.

As an adult now I wouldn’t move back because of the weather and high taxes. Wisconsin is a beautiful state.
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I'm guessing you grew up somewhere around Kenosha? I was impressed with the street layout in Kenosha. It's so easy to get around because all the streets going north and south are avenues and all the streets going east and west are streets. I agree Wisconsin is beautiful. My sister lives in Lake Geneva so I'm up there from time to time.
 
Been There said:
I was at Portage Lakes and Geauga Lakes many times.

My first 9 years were spent in Mentor, Ohio. Them after my parents were killed, I was taken in by my grandparents who owned a small farm at the time in Southeastern Ohio, but grew somewhat larger along the years. Growing up on a farm teaches you many of life's lessons and it prepares you for what lies ahead in the future.
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Been There said:
I was at Portage Lakes and Geauga Lakes many times.

My first 9 years were spent in Mentor, Ohio. Them after my parents were killed, I was taken in by my grandparents who owned a small farm at the time in Southeastern Ohio, but grew somewhat larger along the years. Growing up on a farm teaches you many of life's lessons and it prepares you for what lies ahead in the future.
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I would look out the 2nd floor Andrews windows watching the snow fall and couldn't wait for Spring to escape. I've never been the same.
So sorry about your parents. What a blessing it was to have your grandparents. Three thugs murdered my cousin and in a separate situation a family friend in Kent. I still look at Grandpa's house online as well as a few others in Cleveland and Akron, the people I loved are gone but left me with their strong work ethic and common sense.
 
Grew up in Oakland, California. Went to school there. High school was a rugged experience, frankly due to many race based gang fights. That had a strong influence on the kind of neighborhoods I would one day want to make my home.

On the plus side, the SF Bay Area had an educational value that I might have missed elsewhere. I had a grammar school teacher who worked in a Japanese American interment camp during WW2, and I knew a librarian who also had a tragic internment camp experience. Their stories resulted in my life long hatred of the camps and the politicians behind them, but a deep respect for the Japanese Americans who were outrageously imprisoned by our government.
 
Happy Heart said:
I would look out the 2nd floor Andrews windows watching the snow fall and couldn't wait for Spring to escape. I've never been the same.
So sorry about your parents. What a blessing it was to have your grandparents. Three thugs murdered my cousin and in a separate situation a family friend in Kent. I still look at Grandpa's house online as well as a few others in Cleveland and Akron, the people I loved are gone but left me with their strong work ethic and common sense.
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Back then we would sometimes go to Talmadge and hang out with the kids from that area and part of Akron, like Ellet at Manners Big Boy.
 
I forgot about Manners Big Boy! Grandpa used to own the Blue Gill Restaurant in Portage Lakes. Did you ever go the Barn in Kent for their Saturday night dances? Everyone from the area went there to meet and have some fun.
 
I grew up in rural Indiana. We lived paycheck to paycheck. I used to envy other kids because I so much wanted nice things. We did spend the summers camping and hiking where I learned to appreciate nature. This influenced my decision to go into the science field. Then at age 19 while attending college in TN, my family moved to Central Florida. I finished college in Florida, landed a career at a major university, got married, had a daughter. I never quit working so retired with a nice pension. I love Florida. My daughter lives not too far with her kids and love being involved with the grandkids. I count my blessings every day. Happy to be a follower of Christ. He guides my steps and gives me hope.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I was thinking of my old home in Massachusetts, when I ran across a thread by Gael, on March 16, 2014 It seemed as relevant today as it did 9 years ago.

Where did you grow up and how has it affected you in life?​

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I grew up in McColl. S.C. my Daddy was the Police Chief there, it was a small town and I had a great life there with many wonderful memories. 34 years later I also became Police Chief in McColl that created even more great memories.
 
I too, was born in NJ but we moved around a bit as Dad found work and I guess I actually grew up in a northern suburb of Wilmington, Delaware - boring! I always disliked the cold sameness of the suburbs and envied my cousins in northern NJ Towns. The suburbs have no focus, no town center, no sense of community. I guess, looking back, the neighborhood was full of kids and we were always out and about with friends but it had no uniqueness. Now retired, we're settled in a small New England town center and have everything we need to hand close by and cooler weather. I imagine the kids growing up here now are bored to tears but we have stayed super busy and are happy to be part of the community!
 
Myquest55 said:
I always disliked the cold sameness of the suburbs and envied my cousins in northern NJ Towns. The suburbs have no focus, no town center, no sense of community. I guess, looking back, the neighborhood was full of kids and we were always out and about with friends but it had no uniqueness
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I had a similar experience in the suburbs I grew up in except there were very few other kids for some reason. And since it was the cheapest new subdivision my dad could find, there were no trees or landscaping so no greenery for a long time anywhere you looked; similar to this:

surburbia.jpg

And it took at least 45 min. of walking to get outside the subdivision and this is similar to what I arrived at:

stripmall.jpg

So, I didn't like the suburbs I grew up in either.
 
I grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado. The population back then was around 3,000 which included around 1,500 college students going to a small university in our town. The university added a lot to our community especially for the kids growing up in that town. We had access to an Olympic sized indoor pool, gymnasium, music concerts, plays, student union (w/ bowling, ping pong, pool and snooker), etc, etc. The university was primarily a teacher college; therefore, we had one or two extra teachers and/or coaches in school (College students getting some experience in the classroom) So the University added a lot to the town.

We also had three ski areas within 30-45 minuets. Ice skating and all the fishing and hunting we could stand in walking distanced from town.

I lived there from kindergarten through 8th grade. It was a wonderful place to grow up and much of what I learned living in that town carried through the rest of my life. I still hunt and fish as do all my kids. I still ski and have an interest in many sports as a coach and participant in some. My wife and I scuba dive and love going to concerts and plays. I did go to college in a small town at a smaller school.

So yep, my small town set the tone for much of my adult life.
 
Miles City, Montana. A real old cow town!
I'd say it gave me perspective on what is important and what isn't.
They were just surviving, scratchin out a living, blue collar style.
Wasn't much "play". Men were real men and women respected them
(deserved or not). Women were strong and took care of what needed
to be done. I slept in an Indian camp once and it bridged the 60's with
how people lived on the prairie a century ago.
Moving to California, I was in a a culture of fear, ignorance, and silliness.
"Yeah! Surf City baby!", but I've seen both sides of life.
 

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