Having grown up in West Chester, PA my whole life, I can actually say that once you leave it, you really miss it.
West Chester is a town small enough that you can personally know a good number of people but large enough that there's still new people to meet. Plus, everything is a short drive down the road. When you were younger, did you go to CChurch on Sunday morning and then Genardies for a doughnut after? Every day before work or school would you not make your daily Wawa run for coffee and maybe a pretzel? And if you lived even 2 miles away, could you not hear the High school bands playing their songs at each West Chester East home game? You can't tell me that you never went to a party at WCU or walked down the old Redstone sidewalks with your friends just for the hell of it. I know you went to the Christmas and Halloween parades every year. And be honest with yourself, you always laugh a little when you drive down Gay street.
If any of this sound super familiar, we have the same home. If you're really from the area, in grade school you would go ice skating with your friends on the weekends at West Goshen park - or even catch a free movie. You've probably ran the trails at East Goshen park and you probably know East Goshen, West Goshen, West Chester, and Downingtown like the back of your hand. You probably went to either Rustin, East, Henderson, or Shanahan and you probably know the rankings of each of their football teams. You're Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers. You either drive a Toyota or a Ford. You either have a small house or one that's probably too big. You still hang out with friends from grade school because they most likely went to your high school and probably even your college.
If you know this all too well... we're in the same boat.
West Chester, thank you for being amazing.
