Looking to move near a tribe

[Mike M]

My family and I are beginning the process of choosing where to move next. We're currently in Oswego, NY and my wife is an CPA. Our boys are 5 and 2. We can move pretty much anywhere in N. America as her job skills will translate into any market. We're thinking right now that we'd look to move in the next year or two.

We're looking at cost of living, taxes, weather, local resources - all the usual stuff - and are also going to include the availability of a local unschooling tribe in our decision.

So, please tell us about your tribe. Where are you, what's cool about your area, how big is the local unschooling tribe, anything else you think would be good for us to know.

We'd like to find an area with a healthy and active unschooling community so your help is very much appreciated.

I've read the threads here about WhiteHawk near us, tell me about your tribe - go ahead, brag a bit....

[Alison B.]

Hi Tanya,

Is there a strong RU community up where you are? VT is my fave place in the world but I wouldn't want to move without having unschoolers around.

[Linda Hessel]

I'm really interested in reading this thread and hearing more responses. We're looking to move also eventually -- we live in Corvallis, Oregon and everything Jon says about it is true, but it is also very expensive, cloudy for nine months of the year, and it is terrible on my allergies. We would love to find a place with clear air, four seasons, lots of community activity and actual neighborhoods, progressive politics, and lovely old houses that poor people can afford to live in.

[Kristin]

May I suggest Central Oregon? Bend is a fabulous community on the east side of the Cascades. We have four seasons, the most beautiful mountains and rivers and wonderful town. Our group is called COOL- Central Oregon Open Learners and is mostly unschoolers. We've been meeting for over 4 years and have a great community of like minded families. Check it out!

[Jan Hunt]

We've lived in Central Oregon south of Bend since 2001. While it's beautiful here, Bend is still at or near the top of the list of U.S. overpriced cities, and many people are leaving because they simply can't afford houses here. Bend is also more mainstream and conservative than Portland, Eugene or Ashland.

[Sierra]

Bend was once-upon-a-time my idea of utopia.:)

For anyone still searching out areas, we have two more very fun unschooling families looking at houses here (crossing fingers). There is already a strong community but it just keeps growing!! The housing prices are very reasonable here too.

[Ren]

For as infrequently as I post here now, you'd think I could at least get signed in properly.
That last post was not from Sierra...sorry.

And "here" is Tri-cities area of TN,which I wrote quite a bit about in previous posts.

[MamaTara]

Quite interesting that this post was up when I came--a little bit of synchronicity. We're *thinking* about moving from our very comfortable (but very HOT and dry) existence in Tucson, Arizona. We have a *great* unschooling group here and I really want to find like-mindeds where we go. We want to try the country thang again, but I want people and culture, too. I want a tribe that likes to laugh, learn, love and look within--who think outside the box. We aren't religious, but ARE spiritual. We started looking in Tennessee, but more towards Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga. I *don't* know the area at all, but a friend of ours said we might like these areas. We're looking for trees and green. We want to buy about five acres. My husband is an R.N. and works in a drug and alcohol treatment facility. He LOVES his work and would love to work in a treatment facility wherever we move to, but would do other nursing, if need be. I'm gonna start searching in the Tri-cities area for something that will work for us on your recommendation, Ren.

Tara

[Ren]

Cool! The tri-cities area is my favorite in TN (well duh, right?) because it's a lot cooler up here in the foothills of the Appalachians. It's also very close to Asheville which is another great place. The "tribe" here is amazing....we consider many folks within four hours a big part of our social network because we see them frequently. The Lovejoys are here this weekend and there are SO many really great families right here that unschool or lean towards a very relaxed/eclectic style.

Anyway, if you want to come visit let us know when you're coming and we'll make sure to get everyone together. My husband is a realtor too, if you want him to email listings just to get a feel for what is available (free/non-obligatory service). Let us know!:)

[Heather (in NY)]

Hi Mike- Come down and check out our group on Wednesdays - we've been meeting weekly since the spring. There have been unschoolers of one kind or another in the Ithaca area for a while - 15 years? The group of current unschooled teens is small and mostly absorbed into Northern Light Learning Center, but there is a strong group of parents of younger kids who seem really committed to unschooling principles. There are about 40 on our list - though maybe 6-10 regular families. We also just like living here for many reasons- the natural beauty and access to culture through Cornell and IC and local institutions. Food is awesome, too.

Laws and taxes, well, you could do better there!

Heather

[Laura Z]

Wow great thread! I just happened across it and have been looking for something like this for a long time :) We also hope to be moving this year and Portland or Seattle have been on the top of our list. I was hoping to go to massage school in Portland but I may have to do my massage school here in Miami due to some major moving delays. it's given us time to pause and rethink and do more research so while Portland and Seattle are still at the top of the lists, we are reconsidering some other areas. most important is the ability for me to practice my massage and my husband to move forward in his journey towards becoming a healer, a free learning/unschooling community or at least openess towards, and the ability to be somewhat near a city yet still have garden, maybe chickens, and who knows what else so that still keeps Portland up there ;). I had not seen this or a couple of other relocation threads till now so I'm so excited to see what everyone has to say!
Editing to add - it's funny because we've also thought about Corvallis and Tucson and so it's interesting to see some posts from people who want to move away from the areas. Cost of living is a huge thing for us as well since we already pay so much to live in Miami.