About a year has passed since my family made the move from Northern Virginia to Richmond. Even though I currently reside in Fredericksburg, halfway between the two, there are so many things I miss about being home.
1. Day Trips to DC
It was so easy to go to Washington DC for a short day trip or even a half-day trip. We did it so often that schools took us to DC museums for field trips and I grew to resent our proximity to the city.
2. Familiar roads and directions
While becoming familiar with roads and directions is an issue when moving to any new place, I really don't like feeling reliant on my GPS. Also when people talk about how to get places, they use street signs or landmarks as references... but I don't recognize any of them.
3. Favorite restaurants
These are restaurants you order from in a pinch or are your go to for a night out.
4. Good takeout/delivery
Great Chinese food, amazing Italian, and several other types of delivery staples are missing from the area of Richmond where I live.
5. Having a recognizable hometown
In Richmond, when I say I grew up in McLean nobody knows where that is.
6. NOVA identity
I love being able to say "I live in NOVA"!
7. Community of Traffic Haters
It is amazing! Everyone in NOVA understands I-95 traffic pain.
8. Access to 3 Airports!
Reagan National, Dulles International, and BWI!
9. Best Shopping Mall
Tyson's Corner Shopping Center is probably at the top of the list of best indoor shopping malls in the country.
10.People with important and cool jobs
You always meet someone who does something important for the government when you live near the nation's capital.
11. Access to Metro Transoprtation
I never thought I would miss the over-crowded transportation system but depending on access to a vehicle or the reliability of a bus is impractical.
So I leave you with this question, "do you like where you live?" because if you don't love it now, you will miss it when you leave.