We moved out here, away from our sea, our home, because we wanted to grab an opportunity to have permanent work, and all be together. It is interesting because we never would have chosen to live here, but now we are here, we are so glad we are doing it! We are having a little tree change for just a few years. I couldn't do it forever I don't think, but so far we are loving it and it will hopefully give us more options down the track to be exactly where we want to be. Country living is so wonderful Jodi, we just had a tonne od firewood delivered and will light our first fire tonight. it is simple living at its best out here. the boys and i have slowed right down and focus on being together instead of going places. I do miss the sea and salt air and of course, my family so very much though.
Where do you dream of being? I think Tasmania would be wonderful ;)

Exciting times Jodi! I moved from Sydney to Melbourne 12 years ago and never looked back, I don't really have any family in close proximity, but we have a better lifestyle here and its such a beautiful city! Saying that I love the idea of moving somewhere completely different as a family. Such a big decision! xo

My husband, 8 mo old baby, two dogs and I live in a coastal town of southern California. We moved here to be closer to my family after I had my first baby. I stay at home and my husband works from home so we could move pretty much anywhere. We used to dream of buying a farm on the east coast (my husband would love to grow hops and brew beer) and this seemed like a lovely plan, but then Eloise was born and I all of a sudden longed to be closer to my parents. Every now and then I get the itch to live somewhere else. Some where where our values and ideals are more common place. Where things are more simple, but I'm not sure when I will truly be ready. Good luck in your quest! Maybe you'll inspire me to move sooner as well. :)

Oh, I make the most of what I can with where I live, like you said, we live here because it is a 20 min train ride (walking distance to the station) for my husband to get to work in a suburb (on said train line) that we could afford. We live about 2 mins from the beach, but both my husband and I can't stand the beach, we just have no connection to it. We both love the mountains, the rainforest, being up high ... but work keeps us where we are, for now. We dream of a hidden cottage out of town surrounded by tree canopies. One day ... hopefully. I love the thought of moving somewhere challenging too, "a new pace, a culture unlike our own." that sounds wonderful.

Gosh I really ought to say something here. As a child and as an adult, home changed so drastically at various stages (from the UK to the Middle East and now here in Australia) that the one question I hated being asked from strangers was: and where are you from? Not because I didn't like lengthy conversations but because I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I longed to feel rooted somewhere, to feel connections on a very deep level. When Graeme and I got married in the UK, it wasn't long before I felt the need to find another place to call home. The first few years here were very messy. And very confused. But we were led where we are now. Yes work is a deciding factor but family is a long way away; we were drawn here to live our ideal, like you say. In some aspects it isn't what we had planned, but it's so much better overall. I had that need in the UK to live differently too five years ago. And that's what we're doing. x

I have done the big shift a couple of times. First time, I moved from Adelaide to the Far North Coast of NSW to be closer to husband. That was seven years ago. We have since, as of last month, packed up everything and moved to Southern Tassie (another Tas fan!)

Carving out the same circle year after year is comfortable because of the familiar - even if you are tired of making the same motion year after year. We were doing that as well but we had outgrown the place we lived in. We wanted something new for our family so we took the big step from the circle to moving on to making bigger and beautiful patterns. It is daunting, with out a doubt. But I found planning helped me immensely because then it didn't feel so out of control to me.

This is our one life. Our one chance. So we took it. We all deserve adventure and joy. I didn't want to sit back in decades to come and think "if only we had taken the leap."

Ha! I think we are living parallel lives. I smiled at the image of Daniel making lists and you procrastinating and wondering. PRECISELY the same thing happening here. It has always been on our horizon to move to a warmer climate, Pete and I are both beach people so it will always be coastal for us but Victorian winters are difficult to bear...then a couple of days ago an old friend of Pete's phoned brimming with inspiration and excitement about the two weeks he and his wife had spent in Samoa where life is simple and not overrun with consumerism. In true all or nothing Scorpio fashion my darling Pete picked that ball up and has not stop running with it ever since, he is now researching Samoa and every island between. Like you and Daniel, Pete and I are very fortunate that we can work remotely so while work is still a consideration we have more flexibility than many being self-employed writer and photographer. One of our main motivations aside from climate to consider moving is the life experience we want to give our sons we want them to know there is more to life when they become teenagers than facebook and the drinking culture that defines so much of Australian adolescence (& adulthood for that matter). This comment could turn into a book so I will leave it there and finish by saying I can totally relate and what a great balance to have an adventurer and a ponderer. Enjoy the possibilities xx

Meant to say, I find it quite wonderful how different people find that connection and bliss in different places. A good friend of mine is leaving this area to move to Bellingen, where Graeme and I lived three years ago and ended up leaving. Bellingen is calling her loud and clear. That's what I find quite amazing, how certain places push us away and pull us towards them.

I wrote about this conflict of heart a few weeks ago Jodi so I completely empathise with how you feel. We currently live just over an hour South of Sydney, not far from where I was born and raised and although it brings with it beautiful childhood memories something just doesn't feel right. Every time we visit my husbands family home in Bellingen my mind eases and I feel at home, at peace. We are very lucky that Hubby's line of work means he can transfer easily, provided there is a position available but I just don't know if I can leave my Nanna. We have been weighing up the options and possibilities (oh the schools, the Steiner school nearby is breath taking!!!) for some months now and we still haven't come up with a definitive answer. So for now we enjoy our time near the sea and nestled amongst the jersey cows, one day we will figure it all out (I hope). x x

http://beingmummatoaudrey.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/where-heart-is.html

We have just moved to rural South Australia, an hour to the shops, mail twice a week, that sort of thing. We just spent 15 months traveling around Australia trying to find our home. Just because we've stopped traveling though doesn't mean we've found it, I'm slowly coming to realise this, the search will probably continue for quite some time. I'm still exploring our local area, distance is the major difference to where we're used to, everything is so FAR away! We both grew up in Gippsland, spoilt by green rolling hills and fertile soils, an hour to the beach, an hour to the city, an hour to the mountains. That will always be home, Melbourne our home city. We also lived in north east Victoria for 3 years and loved every minute of our community there, I miss it a whole lot. We looked long and hard into going overseas instead of moving here, some friends also in agriculture have made the expat move to Papua New Guinea, to Indonesia, to Canada. We applied for a position in the Falkland Islands, and nearly did that instead of this. Part of me still thinks maybe we should have, part of me thinks maybe that is still in our future, I'm not sure.
Good luck in your search and discovering where your new home lies, my advice is to let it find you, be patient, that has been so hard for me but is so important.

Oh this post has hit a nerve. Almost seven years ago now we up and moved our family from NZ to Brisbane but after two years there longed for a slower pace of life. We have found that here in Perth where we have lived in a coastal suburb for nearly five years now but over the last year and a bit I have had a major case of itchy feet. Initially we thought about heading back to Brisbane to be closer to family and NZ but my longing to live in Tasmania is really pulling at me and finally after all these years it seems that hubby is on board. We've been researching property and job prospects in the hopes that it will make the decision process a lot easier.

I would jump at the change for a change of scene while your children are still so young. It gets harder the older they get.
Good luck with your decision making, I know how hard it can be but also know how very rewarding it is too :)

Tammi x

I live where I live for work reasons, first mine then my husband's. I live in a very far away place for home, that paradoxically is where my new home has started. I live by the sea but it's not blue and the air certainly not fresh. I live in a huge city that I would never imagined my children would call home. if I could, i would leave tomorrow to look for a place that suits best our family and our life, yet I am also scared of the change since as a family we haven't lived anywhere else. But we will leave eventually because sometimes you really should not let your fears prevent you from experiencing and enjoy what the next place could bring you. Your places sounds wonderful, and you know what? I think Australia is wonderful, if it wasn't even further away from where I live, that's where I would love to move!

A sense of place and just where that is, is something I battle with all the time! We lived in the inner west for a long time before motherhood, which I loved and still do! Sadly we couldnt afford to buy a house there and we looked all over suburban sydney - it just wasn't me. Then one day, we drove up to the mountains and pretty much that weekend, became homeowners. We were so shocked when our offer on our house was offered. It was a huge risk - but something must of been right because I fell pregnant the week we settled on the house. It was an enormous move, 9 months later to move from a one bed room Glebe apartment to a 4 bedroom house with cherry blossom trees in the garden, a new-born and to go from being the breadwinner to being a stay at home mum in a place where I didnt know anyone. Now 5 years down the track, I still miss Glebe and we definitely won't stay in Leura forever - the cold is a battle as are work opportunities, which for me are all Sydney -based. But it has been a beautiful, safe, slow, nurturing start to life for my son, we have learnt to enjoy the seasons, to make a home, to be a family and as much as I miss the vibe of the city, I will one day miss the soothing pace of life here and will always remember this house as the one where I became a mum and raised my baby. Letting go is hard to do....as is making the right decision as to what works for everyone in the family. Good luck!

We live in Melbourne, right in the city because Steve and I are finishing school. Before that we lived in Montreal, but had to move home to have Casper (no health insurance). I'd say in about a year and a bit we'll be somewhere by the coast and after that possibly Montreal again? I am the kind of person who likes to move and stay in one place at the same time. I feel like if you can do it, you should. Even for a little bit.

my partner and i are in the quite unusual and fortunate position that we don't have to live close to his work as he usually works overseas and the location changes from job to job, so fly in fly out. at the moment we live close to where i grew up although i have no family close by. i am ready for a change. our biggest decision about where to go to next comes from my love of gardening and my partner's love of surf (and it can't be any surf it has to be hard core and good!) which is why he ended up here instead of where he grew up in queensland. i can of course garden anywhere but here is hard, its windy hot and dry. i want to grow most of our own food and that is impossible here. we are simply living where we are for the surfing lifestyle for now but tasmania is calling loud and clear!

I moved from Cornwall, England to Sydney ten years ago - I found love and moved without much thought about what I was leaving behind for a new exciting life in Australia. It's been bittersweet, I never realised how introverted I was until the move and Sydney seemed like a city full of extroverts. Ten years on I'm still here, still in love and we've two small people in tow. Sydney and Australia is where I want to be and where I want to raise my children, but it's been a very hard journey.

We are pondering very similar things in our world, too. I have always wondered why people live where they do. I moved here initially for a gap year to revisit a town where we spent a few years as a family during an Air Force posting. It's been 7 years and I am still here, married, working, studying. My husband has been here 16 years or so now and itches to move somewhere new. Me? I grew up the daughter of a NZ Air Force employee so we moved constantly when the AF dictated. I am happy to sit for a while.

wonderful sentiments that I connect so much with Jodi! We are currently in Melbourne, planning our move to acreage in North East Victoria in a quiet country town. It brings with it the lifestyle we desire, the opportunities to raise our children on land, plant/grow and nuture our own produce and be a bit closer to family. The move is still many months away, but already our hearts are there...we are taking a huge leap of faith, but I love that we are doing it together, neither feels we are sacrificing, in fact we know that I life will be richer, fuller and more content when we do. Oh, enjoy the ride of choosing which lucky place you get to call home xx

I hear you, Jodi. I long to be in your position - to be near the water and my family. All of them, bar my sister and BIL, live in Queensland, near the water. We visit as often as we can, but with the addition of each child, it becomes more expensive and now that Ruby is in school it makes it a little harder not being able to just pick a time and go, we now have to factor school in. Hubby has lived in Melb all his life, his family don't like change.. trying new things to experience something new makes no sense to them - which is fine for them, but not for us. Ultimately we will end up near the water, north, being able to enjoy the winters where they are cold enough to feel, but not so cold that you cannot go outside for weeks on end.. it is so very frustrating with small children. I crave a more open and free routine, where after school activities mean beach walks and swimming, and not backyard confinement or being locked indoors.. It will be me to push for the change, and hubby is on board, but I cannot rush him. Where I will jump at a good change, he is far more hesitant, worrying about all the possible negatives rather than focusing on all the possible positives! He grew up in a household with little positivity and I, the complete opposite. I think that will be with him forever, but I never stop trying to coax him over to my side of the fence ;) Good luck with your decision - it sounds wonderfully exciting x

We moved to France 7 yrs ago from north west UK for a slower pace of life. However, it's been anything but! You have to work harder and always feel like there's something to be done.....garden, old farmhous falling apart. We wouldn't change it for anything. We've been welcomed into a safe, caring community. Our children breath clean air, attend a small village school and we feel safe (accredited the 10th safest place in the world!). For now, it's what suits us and we always feel lucky we've been able to do this. If a change can be made I would do it. Planning too much can override the adventure and as we've found, you overcome hurdles as they approach, together. xx

For close to 10 years, I have been working in remote Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland. When our son Ba'il was born in 2010 we moved back to 'civilisation' to be closer to family etc. After a year, we were aching to be back in the wilderness and play our part in contributing to a better planet in a much more practical 'hands on' lifestyle. Soon after Ba'il turned 1, we were back in the bush, far away from family. It was daunting to say the less - very different from living remotely without a child. This lifestyle allows us to contribute to society in a meaningful way (unlike our office jobs in the city), as well as more of an 'outdoor' lifestyle where we rely on the simple things and don't get too sucked into consumerism like we did living in 'civilisation'. I'm also so thankful for the culture, environment and lifestyle our son is immersed in everyday. There are defiantly down sides to it, don't get me wrong. Like when we are all sick and I just want a helping hand from my parents. However without making this move back to the bush, we wouldn't have been able to afford our river nest - a log house on river frontage with 20 acres of our future farm.
I say go with the gut feeling. You know when the time is right, and sometimes the time is never right and the universe makes everything just fall into place. How exciting! x

We have just moved back to the country, the town we both grew up in. It took us three years of procrastinating. Three years of wasted time. We totally regret not doing it sooner. I say jump...

We both where raised in busy Sydney's Inner West, we stayed here as it was easier to have the backing of our parents but now as each day goes by we long to move away from everything & start fresh in a smaller little town, we where ready to move close to Christmas to Townsville as he got a job with mining but then that fell through.
I am hoping that soon we can make the jump to beach front views & neighbourhood parties.

I say go, take a leap.
x

What a lovely post, and the comments! I can just see me revisiting this post just to read the comments. We live in Brisbane. I grew up on the Gold Coast, my man in Brisbane. Brisbane is where we went to Uni and where we got work. If we moved outside of Brisbane then save Sydney or Melbourne (which don't hold appeal to us) we would have to take substantial pay cuts. Maybe that's what we'll do when we have children, but not now. We stay where we are because we're focused on setting outselves up for our futures, because family is close by, because I'm an only child and I feel bad enough having moved an hour away from my parents. Neither of us love the city, this post has got me thinking. hard.

Hello Jodi!

I was raised in England by an English father and a French mother and always seemed the most English of the four children. The desire to move away to new lands was powerful though. After working in The States and then as a teacher in Greece the pull of Paris, the city which I love the most, was great. I have been living in France for sixteen years now (I initially moved their alone with my eldest daughter, a toddler then): seven years by the coast in Normandy in a small fishing village, five in central Paris and now, as a family, we are on our fourth year in the Garden of France: the Loire Valley. I am constantly drawn to Paris but with three children of course the desire to have a garden of our own whilst living close to a large city - Tours - has made our current place of rest ideal. Work has been the main reason for our moving as we are a little nomadic, my husband and I. Each place has its different qualities. Being an 'expert' on garden aesthetics the Loire Valley is idyllic for me but my Breton husband misses the sea of course.

Good luck with this new episode of your lives.

Stephanie

My husband and I have 2 kids and are living in Germany right now. We are Americans, and I grew up all over the place, but my husband lived his entire life in Kentucky till here. Before we had kids, it was wonderful. Now with kids, I am feeling so guilty not being close to my family or his family and stress about it. We love the cultures over here, the traveling, the food, everything, just hate the part about not being near our family. We are living here for our jobs and the experience, but, thinking we'll move back closer to family in 2 years. It sure is nice to start new with a move. I love that part. Such an adventure. I haven't lived in one place for more than 3 years my whole life. Always get the itch to move and find that perfect place...

Jody how much, considering the possibility to move on, are you thinking about Che's MONTESSORI SCHOOL , about you and he are so happy about? And how much are you thinking about school possibilities in your possible destination? this would be something really important to me...
I've been living in the the same place (and even in the same part of the city) since I was born. Reasons: family, friends, work and the fact that we love very much the place where we live. But since we've become parents my husband and I 've been thinking a lot about living for a period in an other place: we are sure it would be such a great gift for us and for our kids. Just to give them and us a different perspective...

we live in brighton, on the south coast of england. it's a good town, especially for young families and there is a holiday feel to the place. however, i feel the pull towards manchester, the city in the north, where i'm from. colder, grayer but more diverse, in closer proximity to wilder natural environments, better accents (my eldest is already 'speaking southern', sob) and closer to my family. interesting to hear about the flip side of the seemingly idyllic area in which you live (drink, drugs etc...) i think this is the case with many rural/beachy areas. these are always assumed to be urban problems. i wish i could combine all the places i love into one MEGA location! x

I spent most of my childhood in Brisbane, before moving to Sydney when my (now) husband got a graduate job. After a year and a half, we left the city and moved west to the country, 5 hours from Sydney. Both our moves were never planned, but they are choices we're always thankful that we made. Living away from family and childhood friends has been great for us, early in our marriage. We've had the time and space to build our own life and traditions. The first step away made me restless to explore, we love where we live, but I doubt we'll ever stop dreaming about what will come next.

I adore where we live. We moved from Melbourne to this seaside town originally for work, it was only meant to be temporary but we fell in love with this life and now there is no going back. I do miss city life and having family close but bringing up our children here just feels right..x

If I had read this post...and the comments...a year ago I would have moved.
I have never lived in one place for long.
I have lived in various places in the States, in Europe, and then back to the States and then Brisbane.
After five years in Brisbane I had incredibly itching feet. I wanted to move somewhere. Anywhere. We actually put our house on the rental market and were ready to head out.
For better or worse our house didn't rent quickly and in that time I came to realise the value of the life that we have. While family is not close, we are surrounded by wonderful friends we can count on. Toddler C loves his childcare. Daddy R and I most or less happy in our jobs. We are content here. And while content is not that exciting, at the moment it is enough.
I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if we had moved to country NSW. But mostly I am glad that we didn't.
I know we will have experiences living abroad in the future...at the very least with my parents in the States...and so I will wait for those adventures.
I guess what this very long winded comment is saying is that we are not ready yet!
Good luck with your decision!

Spending my childhood on a farm in the same house close to the coast i now live more inland and love it. We have moved 4 times in the past 5 years and each time the desire for a change has been there.
the cooler climate, the pretty countryside, the people of country towns are what i prefer.
I miss the salty air that the coast brings though.
x

Your post resonates with me so strongly. For so long I have dreamed of living a quite reclusive life - a rural life, in a quiet place (I studied medieval literature so I am happy with my imaginary friends from centuries long past), I would write, my husband, an artist would paint. Our son would live the life I grew up with - a life where imagination is our only friend because our neighbours are just so far away. My husband was a city dweller, but I convinced him to move to a village on the south coast, but still close enough to Sydney so I could commute part time for work. For ten years I took no hoidays so I could save money and build a career so that part time work was at a level that could support my family if we were not too greedy, I was sooo close to it all coming true, then last summer a tick bit me, and now I have an anaphylaxic allergy to ticks, and the meat of all mammals. I cannot live in a place that is far from a hospital, nor anywhere that has too many ticks for the allergy can grow to include eggs, milk, gelatine, cheese etc. I tell you this because if you have a dream, take it, take it now. If you wait you might just end up having it denied because you waited too long. Life is amazing, and if your heart is open you will find friends, feel welcome, and if you made a wrong choice, how wrong is it - when it indicates the other direction you should follow anyway? Be brave, it is never wrong to move back to where you are now if you later find that was the right place. What a crime it is not to dream and not to try. You know what? The whole world can be fun. Why settle for just one thing?

It would seem that a lot of other people feel the same way with the big response you have received, I have to say it too has been on my mind. We have lived in the same home for 12 years now and I would love to have a change. Our decision to move here was purely cost, our home was cheap, it meant we could get into the housing market the other benefit was that we moved a little closer to family although that didn't necessarily mean that we saw more of them sadly. With my oldest in high school and happy we will stay here for now but I have itchy feet and would love to move to Tassie. I look forward to hearing about your plans, a move would be exciting:) x

Adventure is the grandest of life's treasures! Seize any opportunity to go on one I say. Oh you've awakened a fire within lovely Jodi....my sleep will be restless tonight I fear as I conjure up homes afar for my beloved and my babies :) x

We recently brought a camper trailer. It is our way of giving our 3 young children adventure and family time, as primary school children visiting different areas of Australia and as teenagers time away from social media and school!

We live on the South Coast of NSW, and I love it. A small coastal town, surrounded by farms and rolling hills. Gerringong really is beautiful (although not as 'perfect' as we first thought when we made the move down here). I love we are so close to the rest of the South Coast of NSW.

how exciting jodi... i've moved around a fair amount in my life and am always thinking, where next for our little family? for now we are staying put as we've only been where we are for one year but i love to dream about other places... can't wait to find out where you end up! good luck with the planning :)

Come to Noosa Jodi! (or the sunshine coast;)

My little family, Hubby and two boys under 2 moved to Noosa just on 9 months ago from New Zealand, Napier. We still own our 1st house over there, currently rented out. We moved to Noosa because like you, Chris was feeling an urge to have a fresh change of sorts...he was teaching in a very tough high school where we both met, finding it demanding and unsatisfying...his real love is Surf Lifesaving coaching and his passion was to be a full-time coach of the sport around Surf Lifesaivng (only really possible to do fulltime coaching in AUS) so he was googling 'surf lifesaving coaching' on the net for quite sometime, along with our prayers-and one day the search came up with "noosa heads assistant full time coach" and he mentioned it to me, both agreeing that he apply - he did so, and received a warm invite to visit Noosa for 10 days paid on a coaching trial. Anyway, he was notified that he got the job when he returned home - except only 25 hours per week, and a small salary. While in Noosa for 10 days he visited many secondary schools in the area to see if they had regular relief teaching (supply teaching) available and it looked positive...so we took the leap of faith and took the Coaching role at Noosa and packed away ALL of our belongings, rented out our house and packed some hefty big suitcases with a few favorite toys and clothes and over we came, renting a fully furnished unit we 'secured' before we moved over. All of this fell into place very nicely and we were very blessed it happened the way it did - a sign that it was meant to be. I was always a tad dubious about coming over - and I admit, because its not really a money making experience, its an experience of 'lifestyle'. We don't intend to settle for too long here, maybe a few years tops, but I try not to put limits or time on our experience because I don't want to feel unsatisfied or anxious about it. The only thing Im not enjoying thoroughly is renting a fully-furnished unit, though in saying that I've actually accumulated quite a few things since living here (Oh poor hubby) and jazzed up the place to make it more 'us'. Living away from home and all our 'stuff' and comforts is teaching us (more me I think) a lesson that our stuff doesn't make us who we are, and I've met some very happy people, living out of suitcases or in caravans with their families. Makes life seem about the journey and the small precious moments we share in love. xxx

This is a big topic for us. My husband is French and we met overseas, where we were both working away from our countries of birth. We have both travelled and worked away from home a lot and it's in our blood. Now that we have a child, we've lived here in Melbourne for the longest time that I've ever been in one place since childhood. And though I was reluctant to settle, I'm surprised by how deep the roots have gone. But we're starting to itch a little again, and talking of moves to far away lands again. We want our child (and future children) to have different perspectives of life and culture and language and the realisation that his world is bigger than his little backyard. Every time I've moved on again, I struggle and doubt and get anxious. But once I'm gone, I wonder why I ever hesitated. Though I must admit, the older I get, the harder it is...
That was a bit long. Good luck with the decisions, and my take home message from all that, is that you wont regret it. There are things that will be missed and things that are difficult no doubt. But the best things that can happen, happen when you take a leap. In my experience anyway. xx joanna

My husband is active duty military, so our little family moves every few years. It certainly fulfills our need for adventure It is refreshing to immerse ourselves in a new place, discovering what each new city and the surrounding areas have to offer us. We find comfort in knowing we won't be staying long if we find the place doesn't suit our interests. On the other hand, it's quite devastating to leave the cities we adore.
I will say that the moves can get tough after having a little one. We work very hard to create a sense of "home" for our son, but moving often means that his idea of what and where "home" is gets muddled. I feel a growing need to put down roots soon, establish our place, and then continue to travel the world knowing we always come back home in the end.
Best wishes to you, Jodi, on your journey! x jami

that scarf looks very beautiful.

best of luck with your decisions and on your journey!

kw, ladies in navy

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We live right between our two sets of parents. We wanted to stay fairly close, but far enough away that an unplanned surprise drop-in was not very likely. We are also close to our jobs. Our home is from the 50's, which we love, with a large yard which we plan to transform into a garden. Sometimes, though, we dream of moving to another state... for now, I am scheming about obtaining a trailer in the nearish future so we can take family roadtrips every year. Our home is located where it is out of convenience. We are expecting our first baby, so picking up & starting fresh in a completely different place without established jobs wasn't really in the cards for us. We make due with affordable mini-adventures & roadtrips when we can. :)

Because I got a job here 11 years ago - so hubby and I left the north of Sweden and settled in the south instead. It´s far to our relatives but we try to see them as much as possible anyway.

A sense of community is most important to me, as I struggle when i feel isolated. Sounds like you're at the start of an exciting adventure!

Family, Jobs and the ocean of course

So interesting...these are things I've been pondering lately. (on my blog as well, especially since I am just renewing an expired passport http://hennablossom.com/?p=1912). We are so settled right now in our house right now. You'd think that we were going to live here forever, and we just MAY....but I think we also need to feel that we could pick up and move on if the opportunity were right.

Actually, I really do have a need for change and for to experience a new way of living. My husband doesn't need it as much because he is already living in a different country than he grew up and in a completely different lifestyle. He knows it's important to me though. We just decided (a bit spur of the moment) to go to Europe for a little over two months for the summer). Croatia and Italy. That should tide us over for a bit. We're lucky to have the possibility of working remotely.

Good lucky in whatever you decided. Even thinking over changing things up is so healthy and good for the soul!

xo,
Henna

my heart is a nomad. so easy it is for me to move. but with littles and the like it is more difficult -or it at least has to be more well planned. but my children, they know their mama is a nomad, so when we have moved, they have trusted us in our decision. xo

One of my favorite questions. I grew up by the ocean. In a sprawling metropolis. Attended University nestled in the foothills of the mountains (the coastal shelf is what my husband calls it) and then moved back to ocean after graduating for a few years. THEN my husband got accepted into medical school so we moved to the mountains, five hours from the ocean and have been here for 3 years. The largest city nearby is only 100,000 people. There's not much in the way of culture and excitement. Also, the ocean is not here. And I am homesick. Some would say when you're five hours from the ocean, you're close. But when you grow up being able to pop over on a whim for a few minutes or a few hours - being five hours away is like being a lifetime away. When he is finished with school, our next location will be dictated by where he accepted for residency. When that is over, we may live where I grew up - or in another city further south - like Charleston, South Carolina. Where are you considering going?

Kyle and I initially looked at our little mountain town because of the excellent engineering program. We chose this place over any of the others because of the hiking, biking, and fishing opportunities. It's a small city that feels very intimate and green living/supporting small business are very big priorities in the minds of the citizens. It's very bike friendly so we don't have to constantly drive everywhere. I cannot say enough good things about this place. The south can be very backward and this is a nice pocket of forward-thinkers. There is also a wealth of hospitality from person to person.

That said--this isn't our forever home. I can't think of a better place to be in university but for settling down and raising our children we're still searching. Our hearts bring us to three different places, over and over. The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina... a small city called Asheville, which is a very tight knit earthy/quirky community and just feels so familiar. It's still in the south so there are many creature comforts that we've grown up with. A certain carriage in the people and similar things as what we are used to--Mason jars, bourbon, steamy summer nights, and creaky screen doors. It's a city steeped in the romance of southern culture with forward-thinking citizens and cultural diversity. The Seattle area is the second draw... More practical than emotive. There are multitudes of engineering jobs in the area and its climate is very mild, staying green year round, with a plethora of mountains and outdoorsy activities around. And the third, my beloved Hawaii. I spent my summers there growing up and I miss it every day. The aloha spirit, the warm sun browning my shoulders, and the peacefulness I find in my heart. The thought of raising our babies barefoot, reaching for a banana off the tree in the backyard or cutting open a guava for breakfast and eating it fresh. Truly being immersed in the things that matter the most. My garden would grow year round, our toes would find warm sand and keep us grounded.

There is comfort, security, and heart all laid out for me to see. I make lists and research midwives, food co-ops, and farmer's markets. I compare property prices and crime rates and at the end of the day still only see each location, each would-be path of our future, in one word descriptions: Asheville has comfort. Seattle has security. Hawaii has my heart. The decision should be very easy, but somehow it isn't? Each place nourishes a different part of me.

In true list-maker form, I've begun a day-to-day chart. Each day I write down where I want us to live after school. I suppose at the end of a year, I'm just planning to see which place drew me in more than the others and we'll start applying to internships. I include little notes about the weather, my emotions, and what I did that day to give me perspective in hindsight. It's been very helpful thus far.

Jo Farmer

I live in Arkansas(USA) because it is where I grew up, I landed a really amazing job here teaching art, and the majority of my loved ones live here...but I am certain I will not always stay. I, like you, have a difficult time pondering the idea of leaving what I have always known, but I simply know I need the experience of taking a jump towards something brand new. I got a taste for what it would be like when I hopped on a plane to Europe for two months & saw parts of the world I didn't know much about but just felt at home in. The land in Arkansas is beautiful-we have mountains, waterfalls, lush forest, fields of flowers, rivers, creeks...so many things for which to be thankful. However, many of the folks here are not forward thinking & therefore it can often feel stifling. When I am ready(or perhaps when i'm not even) the change will be amazing.

Although your life where you are seems lovely & content, I know anyone will thrive given the chance to uproot to something unfamiliar because I've learned that therein inspiration lies. Good luck, sweet lady!

I find this whole idea and subject kind of makes me chuckle and baffles me a bit, i dont know much about choosing where you live, i have been a millitary dependand for 26 years, first my fathers then my husbands, so i have always been told where to live!
we just recently found out that we are moving form our house by the sea in California to Germany in a month! very big changes and oh so many of them , having lived like this for quite sometime i have been blessed to know that truly i can be happy anywhere as long as i have my family. from each place i live i learn something new about myself. Oh i grieve the homes, friends, communities i have built on the way. the home i have made for myself and my family is very hard to leave, i have learned to be gentle with myself and allow myself to feel what i need to feel, cry my tears so i can start to get excited about the adventure to come. i relish the challenge of learning about a different culture, gather together a new community of friend and loved ones, i have learned to make home wherever I am, it has made me strong and resourceful,Quick to give (and very unmaterialistic, because a four bedroom house in georgia can become a two bedroom flat in germany) it has opened my eyes to beauty that i never would have seen or noticed, it has taught me to cherish where i am, who i have met, and who i am becoming as a person... i hope where ever you end up in life you have a little bit of that adventure grab your soul and teach you of a strength you never knew.

x Lindsey

It seems like you have opened up a little can of worms here Jodi!
We currently live in the suburb I grew up in, and Dale lived in since he was 15, about 40 mins from Melb CBD. I love it here, although the price of living is getting higher. In an ideal world Dale would pack us us and take us out to the country. He grew up on a farm, and I know that he would love that for our kids. Unfortunately I am a home-body, and it is going to take a lot of convincing for me, but one day we just might. My biggest thing is leaving my family- my parents and my sisters. They live a two minute drive from us now, and it is hard to gain that concept of not having them just around the corner, to drop in on, for them to spend time with Cooper and Indiana, at the drop of a hat. I do love the thought of having some space, for Cooper to get out and play, a small school and a community... So many thoughts run through my head constantly.

I am really interested to hear just what you and Daniel are thinking about. You are very lucky that you have such 'portable' jobs!

Rhi xxx

I moved from Southern California to Central Texas with my two boys almost a year ago. My heart aches for family but, our longing to "simplify" was strong. We are so happy. The cost of living is manageable. I get to stay at home with my children and watch them grow, a luxury I was not afforded in Orange County. It's slower here. People are nicer. We have a backyard. I don't feel obligated to "keep up " with others. We can pull over to fish and we just got baby chicks to raise. I'm in heaven.

Oh Jodi, I could have written this post too. The desire to move has been really on my own mind lately.

In 2007, about 3 weeks after James and I married, we moved to Singapore for 2 years. It was an amazing experience for both of us, Abigail was born there, we met interesting friends and travelled and immersed ourselves into a completely different culture to what we had ever known.

The desire to move again has been a hot topic in my family lately. James and I can't decide on a location though. He is thinking Singapore, I was hoping for maybe New York, but I have major hesitations about living in the US with their gun problem and violence etc.

Even moving to Melbourne has popped up a few times too.

I say go for it. Home will always be there, if you don't like your new surroundings, you can always move home.

Of course, change is hard. There is an adjustment period that has to be expected. Changing schools, making new friends, finding all the mod cons from home, like a butcher, grocer, hairdresser etc. I remember feeling really out of my element until I found all these things and then, life went back to normal. It was easy again. I was driving along freeways in Singapore with ease, shopping in local markets, eating things I'd never even heard of, but most of all, appreciating life and all the experiences we are given.

Family and friends are only a phone call away. Skype made living overseas so much more bearable too.

Life is short. Children are adaptable. Take the leap!

xx

How lovely to live by the sea. We would love to live in a variety of places but my siblings are finally finding their way back home and I am craving the community of family so am thinking we will be sticking around for quite some time, hopefully in a different part of town though, maybe somewhere with a bit more land to breathe and grow on.

Such a big question, and one we have asked ourselves so much! We live where we do for health and healing. We are also pretty close to the ocean. The air is clean, there is lush forest everywhere, lakes and rivers, life abounds. Things can not help but live and thrive here. There is life on every square inch. On the other hand, we sometimes crave a more active community of like minded people, progressive happenings, and a more hip and attractive town scene to pop into once in a while.

We live near my parents, not far from Hubby's. It is just for while our children are young - we think they need to be around extended family. When they are bigger and more nourished, we will move somewhere bold to encourage that side of them. Hubby and I lived in Canada, and other NSW towns before we moved back here to have kids.

I think change is something that should be embraced as long as it is healthy for you and your family. Sounds like this move will be the fresh-air you need.

dear Jodi, I read your post today and was smiling... I just could have wrote the same... I like the place I am living right now, in the Pyrenean mountains, in France, just near Spain, not far from the ocean. But as it has always be that with my children, I said some weeks ago that it was perhaps the good time to move...perhaps just during 6 or 12 months, perhaps more... like a necessary change.
Just a little more about here, the nature here is very present, few minutes from home we can be in such beautiful places, in the mountains, near torrents, in the forest... but we are also just 2 hours from the ocean and we love to go there for a week-end. Here we eat local food, mainly organic, because markets and farms are producing very good food. We have this chance to have no noise or pollution and to use a lot our bicycles.
I hope you can find a good place for you and your family..

oh where to start with moving and thinking the grass is always greener on the other side... we live in miami florida. both my husband and i moved here in the early 2000's before we even met. he for school and me because i was tired of snow and long new jersey winters. miami has great things to offer. culture, diversity, art, beach... both my husband and i like seasons and colder weather. something miami cannot usually offer. neither one of us has family here. mine is in portugal and his in west virginia. but, we do have wonderful friends here who are like family. we often think of moving somewhere else. somewhere quieter and with a cooler climate. but, here we still are... it looks lovely where you live. the grass looks greener ;)

Oh Jodi,
We are in the middle of this right now too! We will make the leap again soon. We chose to live here 12 years ago because we loved the environment and it has been a wonderful place to raise the kids when they are young....but we know now its time to move!
We like adventure, culture and after experiencing a year living in Bali our minds and hearts are pulled once again for a new adventure.
I think sometimes you just have to take the leap and go for it.
I look forward to hearing about your new adventure. X

I live on the NW coast of Tasmania for several reasons. It's where I was born and where my parents are. And my cousins (some of whom are more like siblings). It's where my high school friends are (one in particular I spend a lot of time creatively with). It's a beautiful place - the ocean and mountains and forest. It's where I always return - after university, after London, I always come back - even when I haven't intended to. The quality of life is great here. The air is fresh, the weather is temperate. It's a great community. I like to think I'll always travel and look and see, but I know I'll always come home.

Well I live here because of my husband. And I'm sure we will live in Vancouver sometime, but the fact is, if I weren't here right now I wouldn't necessarily be in Vancouver. I always wanted to get away from home and live somewhere else and I'm so glad I have. Looking forward to your adventure :) x

What an exciting time for you and your family.
Life is one wonderful adventure. I always tell myself that nothing is set in stone, you can always change it if it's not working.
I moved from brisbane to melbourne ten years ago. I was 21 and knew nobody. I just felt that I had outgrown brisbane and needed a new challenge. Four years ago, my husband and I moved from an inner city suburb to the country. And now we're renovating a 1969 Bus to travel around Australia. Eventually we plan to buy land and live in the bus while we build a house, we just don't know where yet. Perhaps we'll fall in love with somewhere along the way.
Whatever you choose, I wish you all the best.

oh Jodi this question is our can of worms that wont stay shut at the moment! I want to move to the countryside again so badly. To get away from the town, the smoke, the 'pretend fields' where you have to search for broken glass, dog poo and worse before you can run free! I am struggling but we can't afford it and my husband doesn't want a move! He thinks I am trying to run away from our reality (which is very challenging with my eldest having SMS) but i am a realist and i know that wouldn't be different, i just want fresher air to breathe, cleaner paths to walk and more freedom! Family is my drive...its a recurring fight! i hope you leap and love the adventure, you regret more what you don't try... every time xxxxxx

Jodi, I understand every word you're saying right now. We live in Bath, and were both born and bought up here, only moving to Cardiff in Wales to go to university for three years. It's a beautiful place to live. Small, yet bustling, historic yet modern. Safe and friendly. A really wonderful place to bring up a family. But I have to admit that recently we've been contemplating the idea of moving somewhere abroad for a year. Financially, I can't see it happening, but we keep dreaming of Ben's employers offering him something at one of their foreign offices. Not forever, just a chance to explore the world. A different lifestyle and culture. Maybe in a few years.

As someone who's not able to follow this dream right now, I'd say if you are able to, then do it. Take the leap. You can always move back. But think if the gift you're giving your children. Amazing xx

Jodi-
We have moved 9 times! Four of those moves have included our children, now 9 and 7. We have a home base of Portland, Oregon but have taken a year assignment in Dublin, Ireland. Last year we spent 4 months living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Our children attend Waldorf School and that affords us a bit more latitude as schools are all over the world teaching the same curriculum. In Ireland the children were still small and I kept them with me. We found an amazing farm where the children worked side by side with young vibrant adults in the fields speaking many languages. Our dearest friends were Moroccan and we spent much time at the mosque....in Mexico they rode the bus out to the middle of the desert and made new friends there. We feel we protect their childhood with the ferocity of a lion but these opportunities allow them to really stretch.

They are amazing travelers ALWAYS game for adventure. They can navigate a map/subway better than I can. They tie their experiences together and make the most incredible observations.

As long as you are together, it will be grand! Parenting can be so directed by fear, but wow, we're always amazed at the beauty out there.......you'll do just what's right when it's right.

Hugs to you as you mull it over!

Jodi, I moved from Surry Hills, Sydney to Wagga Wagga last year. I was born in wagga Wagga , but grew up in the UK and then lived in Sydney for 8 years for uni and then work. I love Surry Hills, So SO much - but we had this amazing opportunity - everything seeming to fall into place - doors just opening - that meant we wrenched our hearts from the inner city and followed our long term dreams of living in a) our own house which we could afford, was gorgeous, old and all ours b) living off the land living more sustainably, veggie gardens, water tanks, solar (one day!), c) owning a dog and d) having a child in a place where we new all our neighbours where near my family and where they could play in the street.
We fell in love with the first house we ever looked at, bought it for a great price, and a job opened up for me at the university. We still miss coffee, friends, shops and living in the coolest hood in the world. But we sit on our front porch and watch the sun set (Spectacularly) over the plains, horse/cow/goat in the foreground, dog at our knees. We love it. Change is always hard but so good for your soul too!
*s*

We're SO LUCKY that my husband is in the Navy, on submarines. Most submariners stick around Washington state and Virginia, but we lucked into orders to a boat in Guam, that moved to Hawaii after two years so we went with it, and then the DREAM ASSIGNMENT just happened to line up perfectly and now we're in the suburbs of London for three years. I just can't BELIEVE how amazingly lucky we've been. My kids have seen more in the last five years than some people see their entire lives. We just...love it. It's going to suck so bad when we have to settle somewhere. I don't even really care WHERE we are, I just love knowing that it's going to change in three years, and I want to cry every time I think about that ending. Sigh.

lovely words. i believe you will make the most beautiful life wherever you go. i always remember your post and wise words 'bloom where you are planted'. i couldn't believe more in that. i packed up my life, filled a 30kg suitcase and moved across the world for love. haven't regretted it for a second. i worry about earning money but with love and a beautiful partner in crime by my side, i can do anything. life is good. all the best finding your next place in the world. life is too short to stay in one place. love! xx

I live in Italy where my family comes from, in the North of Italy, in a small town at the bottom of a valley. I'm surrounded by mountains, Dolomites are the most famous among them. And I like to be here! The mountains around me give me a sense of protection, the wild nature near me give me the idea that being away from the city and the society is possible, when I want I can escape. It takes me 30 minutes by car at least and I can start walking in the wood, away from urban landscape. And I like it.

I live in San Francisco and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. This is the only place I have ever wanted to live and it truly is my home. I grew up in the suburbs about 30 minutes away and always knew this is where I would end up. To me, it’s like a little fairy tale city with something magical around every corner. I love raising my daughter here. She goes to a beautiful, very san francisco school with views of the whole city. There is always someplace fun to take her, even if we are just walking in our neighborhood. We are close to the ocean which is a necessity for me. I like the hustle and bustle of the city, but if I want to get away, I can be in an ancient redwood forest or a funky little beach town within an hour.

Practicalities - it is expensive. I will never own a home here, but I don’t really care about that. I like being able to call my landlord when things break. Also, I am paid far more for what I do here than I would be anywhere else and there are far more job opportunities, so I think it evens out. I don’t know how to drive and you don’t need to here. Public transit is in abundance and it is easy to walk wherever you need to go. I like walking so this suits me well. I’m not very good at planning, so I always need to run out and buy milk or eggs or whatever and that’s easy to do here. It would make me crazy to have to make a special trip and drive any distance for little things like that.

I do like the idea of trying someplace (Paris! London!) temporarily, but I would have to be in a position where I would not have to give up my apartment (the rent is too good!) while we were away and that’s not going to be anytime soon. So here I am and here I will stay. :)

How exciting for you to contemplate new horizons! If you have been living by the sea for any length of time, I think it starts to become part of you. Do you think your new adventure will be near the sea as well? Good luck with whatever you decide! Children are the best of adventurers I think.

-bronwyn

I live in the town I grew up in, a small island fourteen miles long off the coast of Cape Cod. I will always want to go on adventures and to travel, but I know I will always want to come home as well. It's a beautiful, magical island full of old ship captain's houses, cobblestone streets and elm trees. The atlantic ocean surrounds us, and I go sailing every weekend in the summer. Because it's a huge tourist destination in the summer, I am able to make more money working the job that I have than I would almost anywhere else. I can bike anywhere I need to go in literally less than twenty five minutes. Because of the ocean, it doesn't get too cold in the winter and it doesn't get too hot in the summer. But really its the community and the support of a few thousand wonderful, interesting and loony people who are willing to live on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean.

I moved from Sydney's upper north shore where I grew up, to the central coast 7 years ago. I wanted to live near the beach but couldn't afford the northern beaches & I didn't drive back then so I had to be within walking distance to the train line & shops & I had just started dating my now husband who lived here so that made the area more desirable! Now we are married with a baby & i am starting to notice that i'm falling out of love with the area & would like to move somewhere that has a better 'family feel' to it. I no longer feel safe here & do not like the idea of bringing my daughter up here. I've always felt a strong pull to Tasmania, although i've never been there, but my husband hates the cold. He is happy to stay put forever, he's lived here his whole life. My parents live in the Hunter valley & I would like to live closer to them, somewhere semi rural. Also my hubby's dog is buried in our yard & he refuses to sell our house now so it seems i'm stuck here forever.

We left France for south Portugal five years ago. We didn't know the language, we just know this place, this peace, these beaches and this without stress way of life. Without stress. That why we moved. We found here the good rythm for us. Of course it was very difficult for our four kids at school, the 5 first months. But know, we can feel that we did the good choice. Our kids live outside, in the garden, on the trees, during the others ( in France) stay in front their computer. When we come back to France, there's a big different now, between us and our friends. We are more "together" and more happy about life. We have a simple life and it's really better. It's what we like.

Hi Jodi,
I'm behind in reading your posts and so very excited to read this one! I think many of us yearn to take the leap. Our family did it 4 years ago when we moved to India to live. Every day we were there was so new and interesting - just to be immersed in a different culture and to have so much to discover. However it wasn't without its loneliness and difficulties - we were in a big city and it was hard to break through the cultural barrier at times. There were also so many things you take for granted at home - basics like constant electricity, clean water, working cling wrap, good coffee and chocolate etc etc. Alas our trip was cut short and we had to come back to Australia.
Now I find myself with 3 kids and in a similar dilemma to you. I want more for them, but what exactly? Where should we go next? What's wrong with just staying put and being happy with what we have?
But our itchy feet have got the better of us and that is why we are now planning our year travelling around Australia with the kids. We have no idea where we want to live or what we want to do next. We don't have much money to play with but we are just going to take the plunge and enjoy our family, take some time out and have an adventure - see where the road takes us.
Good luck with yours! Sonia x

We live in Arizona. Honestly, I don't like living here for a variety of reasons. It's so small, so dry, so boring, so conservative. We live in AZ, because that's where the good jobs are for my husband. I grew up in Rio de Janeiro and I miss the Ocean so bad. I love California, and I wish I could raise my kids close to the beach. They are growing quick and I don't think we will have any chance of moving that way soon. It's so frustrating, but at the same time I am grateful that we have a nice house and my husband has a job. I'd like to take my kids to Rio, but I don't see that happening either..oh man, it's frustrating. I've been homesick for 11 years and nothing I can do about it. Aaaaw! :D

I grew up on the NSW South Coast and moved to Sydney for uni and work. When I got pregnant my partner and I decided to pack up and move back to the coast. Although we're only two hours away, it was a big step, but (so far) I feel like it was the best decision for us. I'm so glad my daughter will grow up where I did, in suburban streets, near the beach, the mountains and plenty of wide open spaces. And Sydney's so close that she can still experience it without too much trouble. Good luck with your decision!

I know I'm late jumping on this bandwagon, but I wanted to give you a few more well wishes. We moved to Sydney from St. Louis MO USA last year. Though it was only for about 10 months, it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We wanted an adventure with new landscapes and a new culture to explore - something different. And it has changed us forever. Its odd that it took us moving to Sydney for that time to realize that we may actually be better, happier people living somewhere else. The lifestyle associated with climate, location, city, nature, etc. is so significant to who we are and how we live. We are so glad we jumped at the chance for our Australian adventure, because now we are motivated and so excited to figure out where we want to live - to choose it, rather than just living where our families are, because it is easy and comfortable.
Life is short. If you are with the ones you love, you can be happy anywhere, so why not see as much of the world as you can - embrace it with a smile.

I know I'm late jumping on this bandwagon, but I wanted to give you a few more well wishes. We moved to Sydney from St. Louis MO USA last year. Though it was only for about 10 months, it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. We wanted an adventure with new landscapes and a new culture to explore - something different. And it has changed us forever. Its odd that it took us moving to Sydney for that time to realize that we may actually be better, happier people living somewhere else. The lifestyle associated with climate, location, city, nature, etc. is so significant to who we are and how we live. We are so glad we jumped at the chance for our Australian adventure, because now we are motivated and so excited to figure out where we want to live - to choose it, rather than just living where our families are, because it is easy and comfortable.
Life is short. If you are with the ones you love, you can be happy anywhere, so why not see as much of the world as you can - embrace it with a smile.

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