the network for radical unschooling families

Looking for a place to live

We have (or I should say we are making) the opportunity to start our own research company with a couple of partners. Dh will finally be able to conduct research the way he wants, and I will have the opportunity to work in science again (dependent on what I want) while not giving up being with our children full time. I thought I would ask for feedback, as we really have the ability to relocate anywhere in the US providing that our partners agree.

We need someplace that has easy access to universities and science industry, is in a homeschool (and unschooling) friendly state, has access to culture, moderate climate preferred (not too hot or too cold - we would ere to the cold side if need be), workable cost of living (we're a start up company), and is accepting of individuals who are liberally minded. We would love to be around other unschoolers.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sandra Dodd on October 25, 2008 at 7:39pm: If you decide on Albuquerque, Holly's boyfriend Brett could use a lab job! (He was working at the University of New Mexico on a genetics project for a while, but that contract ended.) Holly will be 17 soon and would love to help take care of unschooled children!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kelley MONACH on October 25, 2008 at 8:45pm: I lived in Albuquerque for 13 years and left 'cause there ain't no surfing! We moved to Sarasota, Fl, and now there ain't no unschooling community (to speak of)

So....I hear great things about Eastern TN, CA, how about North Carolina? I am looking into that possibility--but don't know where. I assume Asheville is the place that would have the most in NC.

We have been looking for "the place to live" for 20 years. We still haven't gotten it right. Make a list of things you MUST have, things you would LIKE to have and things you MUST NOT have. That will help, as no place is going to make all marks!! And then, when you find it...let ME know!

Good luck!
Kelley
http://sandandstardust.blogspot.com; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mandy O on October 25, 2008 at 9:21pm: Thanks for the replies! We've been looking at Research Triangle Park in NC but want to take advantage of this opportunity and find a great place to live.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jon Gold on October 26, 2008 at 11:24am: I refer you to my previous post on this subject, here.

Good luck,

~jon; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amberlee on October 26, 2008 at 2:03pm: Come to Pittsburgh! We have universities, science, robotics, tons of homeschoolers, a few UN/RU... Lots of fun things to do downtown and in the boroughs. The city (borough) I live in was in the top 5 most reasonably priced places to live in a national research poll. At least look into it, you might be surprised by what Pittsburgh has to offer. We were!

There are some great resources on the web that you can pick all the things you MUST have in an area you wish to move to and things you would like to be close to, etc. It will give you a list of 10 or 20 places. Here is the link to one I have used.
http://www.findyourspot.com/; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ren on October 26, 2008 at 4:25pm: Sounds like Charlotte NC or even Asheville. Perfect.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mandy O on October 26, 2008 at 5:26pm: We do love PA. We went to grad school at Penn State. Although, I've heard some horror stories about PA homeschooling laws.

That site looks cool. I'm checking it out.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mandy O on October 26, 2008 at 9:52pm: Are you married to Ginger, by chance?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Karen Hsu on October 28, 2008 at 3:30pm: I'm also from Orlando, and never had any problems with crime. But it's very hot.

Now we're in Cleveland, and today I'd say it's too friggin' cold to be here, but there are a lot of great unschoolers.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joni Zander on October 28, 2008 at 10:26pm: Corvallis, OR could certainly be a top runner in your search, considering your criteria. We are here because the weather is very moderate (I don't do hot or cold).

We have OSU right here in town (with lots of people doing some great research, especially in the sustainability field) and O of U 45 minutes south in Eugene. Portland is only an hour and a half north of us.

Corvallis isn't just accepting of liberally minded people - we are liberally minded - in a very progressive, mindful way.

We also have a huge number of homeschoolers and a very large number of unschoolers - most of whom are whole-life unschoolers.

We researched for over a year before choosing Corvallis as our last place to live (we've moved around way too much!). It has exceeded all of our expectations!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jane B on October 29, 2008 at 8:32am: Wow, this sounds fabulous! I'm a research scientist and would love a setup like that. What kind of research are you looking at? We live near Boston and I work for a small business (SBIR stuff). There are many great things about this area, tons of resources both unschooling and science, of course. But it's expensive and cold. I've thought similarly to you... The research triangle would probably be ideal from the science end. And it sounds like there is a nice unschooling network including TN, NC, VA etc down there. Good luck to you! I'd love to hear where you end up.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Julie Markoski on October 29, 2008 at 12:56pm: My husband and I founded a high tech R&D (microfuel cell) company in IL in 2002 and moved it to the RTP area in 2004 after we got our first round of V.C. funding. We moved here because we knew it would be easy to find a good crop of workers and because if the company failed, there would be plenty of other opportunities for us and the other employees. I left when our first son was born--it's still plodding along but is having funding troubles and may not last the year.

We live in Raleigh and we love it--good climate, cost of living, obviously great access to universities (the company uses NC State facilities and expertise often), easy travel with the airport, etc. I think the area is a nice mixture of suburban and rural living. And we've got the ocean and mountains within a few hours drive, which I love.

We were childless and not leaning toward unschooling as a way of life when we moved here, so it was never a consideration for us. I have met a few unschooling moms and kids, but not tons and the NC unschoooling community seems to me (though I could be wrong) to be more active and/or focused in the Asheville and Charlotte areas.

About the liberal-mindedness---there are pockets, but most of our immediate neighbors in both places we've lived here are pretty conservative, yet have always been accepting of us and our plans to unschool (our boys are 3 and 1). Sometimes they even tolerate my proselytizing on the subject, lol.

Hope that helps!; ▶ Reply to This