Best Places to Live and Unschool - Page 2

[BabyMae09]

Yay Corvallis We'd LOVE to have you. Another thing that I forgot to mention is that Corvallis has an amazing restaurant scene for a town our size. I know of at least 10 places that serve local, sustainable foods. And we a a vegan/vegetarian restaurant here as well that's been in business for over 30 years, as well as a couple other heavily-leaning vegetarian restaurants.

A note on the Corvallis Yahoo unschoolers: a bunch of us aren't on that group, but are pretty active in how often we see each other and so forth. I just started unschooling last week (yay!) and could not have felt more welcomed or happy to have connected with tham :

fourlittlebirds, who has also been replying to your thread, is from here too, and she's a super-sweet mama IMHO.

Anyway, I think the local unschooling group is awesome. The people I've met so far are pretty casual about unschooling (in a good way - all their kids are intelligent, happy people), and as a result, some of the most mellow, content people (them and their kids) that I've ever met.

PM if you want more info

[Ahimsa]

Originally Posted by BabyMae09

Anyway, I think the local unschooling group is awesome. The people I've met so far are pretty casual about unschooling (in a good way - all their kids are intelligent, happy people), and as a result, some of the most mellow, content people (them and their kids) that I've ever met.

PM if you want more info

That is good to know. I am pretty casual about unschooling. I unschooled myself for the last few years of high school (after reading John Holt and The Teenage Liberation Handbook), so it is just natural to me. I see unschooling as a journey with many possibilities. I believe the heart of it is about learning to live and create ones life and follow ones passions. I am still on my own path of lifelong learning and self discovery.

My current lease ends in November, so my goal is to move then.

[BabyMae09]

We'd love to have you

[Millie Ivy]

Damnit. Now I want to move.....

[Ahimsa]

For Others Interested in Places to Unschool

Boulder is actually a really great place to unschool and live. If it was lush and green with forests and waterfalls I would just stay here. It has great open minded people, universities, an unschooling group, and the landscape is beautiful in its own way.

[littlelentils]

Originally Posted by Bella Babe

Well, while I never really loved the idea of Texas, it actually is a good fit for many reasons. The laws are really easy here, there are plenty of unschoolers in and around dfw where we live, it does get insanely hot for a couple months in the summer but there is rarely a day during the year where we cant get out and about and spend time outdoors. Cost of living is very low compared to other metropolitan areas. There is quite a big "green" movement. around here.

I live in a pretty upscale, soccer mom area which has it's obvious drawbacks, but I am also 20 minutes from a cool groovy college town, 20 minutes from downtown dallas, 20 minutes from a great farmers market. We have woods and trails within walking distance, parks, great libraries, zoos and childrens museums. I have sources for raw milk, local eggs, get meat from local farms.

If you go about an hour out of Dallas there are a lot of smaller country/ranch little towns with more room to breathe.


Drawbacks for me- it's not as liberal or open minded as I am, there are huge vast amounts of very conservative groups, and I am viewed as incredibly odd by some. But there are also lots of people like me and I have found them.

The 6-8 weeks of 100+ weather isn't ideal in my mind either, but mom has a pool and we spend a lot of time in it in the summer. And again, there is rarely a day throughtout the entire year when we can't be outdoors.

hey there! i moved to this area of tx in august and it is def more liberal than i expected!! i am in fort worth and am glad to know that there unschoolers in the area. we are loving it here. i just wish there were more outdoor things to do (mountains, snow, beach, etc).

[Danidama]

Woo hoo!

I am So excited to see this thread! I grew up in Seattle and so love Oregon of course, but I moved to Arlington, va, when I was 18 and have been here since 2000! I've been wanting to move to Portland or sandy or Corvallis for years. I had decided that Corvallis would be perfect for us last year. My husband and I have a 3 year old daughter and unschooling has felt like the only natural thing to me for quite awhile now. I never even considered PS, and just knew I'd homeschool her. Then I noticed the unschooling forum here a year ago and said That is IT! Nothing feels more right than this, and that is all I can say about it.

Anyway, the only thing holding us back in Va is my husband's job. He can't stand it, but he just can't leave it because of the security we've got and because he's so determined to be able to take care of us and retire in 5 years or less. But to me that is no real way to live! We almost finally left last September, but it didn't happen. Sigh. :-p I'm excited to eventually get to Corvallis, though. My husband grew up in Va but lived in seatown and p-town for a few years when he was younger and loved it, and so he knows them well. We will get there one day. One day soon! All my family is in Seattle and southern ca and I miss them dearly. We have No family here.

But I really am looking forward to being around likeminded ppl. I'm the most laidback, chill person I know here... I tell ya, it is not easy being a west coast girl on the east coast. It is truly amazing how most of the people are here! They are busybusybusy and live in their own human-size bubbles with seemingly no cares or thought for anyone around them. You'd think after almost 9 years in a place one would get used to that, but no. So maybe you guys can see now why I want to haul a$$ to Oregon. :-p meantime I will rant about it online, live each moment mindfully and have fun while we are here. :-) thanks for listening and keep to Oregon talk going! ;-)

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by Danidama

I am So excited to see this thread! I grew up in Seattle and so love Oregon of course, but I moved to Arlington, va, when I was 18 and have been here since 2000! I've been wanting to move to Portland or sandy or Corvallis for years. I had decided that Corvallis would be perfect for us last year. My husband and I have a 3 year old daughter and unschooling has felt like the only natural thing to me for quite awhile now. I never even considered PS, and just knew I'd homeschool her. Then I noticed the unschooling forum here a year ago and said That is IT! Nothing feels more right than this, and that is all I can say about it.

Anyway, the only thing holding us back in Va is my husband's job. He can't stand it, but he just can't leave it because of the security we've got and because he's so determined to be able to take care of us and retire in 5 years or less. But to me that is no real way to live! We almost finally left last September, but it didn't happen. Sigh. :-p I'm excited to eventually get to Corvallis, though. My husband grew up in Va but lived in seatown and p-town for a few years when he was younger and loved it, and so he knows them well. We will get there one day. One day soon! All my family is in Seattle and southern ca and I miss them dearly. We have No family here.

But I really am looking forward to being around likeminded ppl. I'm the most laidback, chill person I know here... I tell ya, it is not easy being a west coast girl on the east coast. It is truly amazing how most of the people are here! They are busybusybusy and live in their own human-size bubbles with seemingly no cares or thought for anyone around them. You'd think after almost 9 years in a place one would get used to that, but no. So maybe you guys can see now why I want to haul a$$ to Oregon. :-p meantime I will rant about it online, live each moment mindfully and have fun while we are here. :-) thanks for listening and keep to Oregon talk going! ;-)

:

Yeah, I can't imagine living anywhere else... except maybe a Caribbean Rastafarian-style Island with good veggie restaurants.

[Niamh]

I live in southern Idaho. Not the best for unschooling support, for sure.

I'd love to go to Oregon if it weren't for land prices - we need land. I'm jealous that you could be moving there!

[Needle in the Hay]

Ah I see I am not the only unschooling parent with Oregon envy. And coming from Switzerland I doubt the CoL would seem high to us. This is going a bit OT, but... how is the skiing in Oregon? It would seem to me that it would be great but I'm wondering how close ski areas would be to cities like Portland, Corvallis, etc.

[Twopeaedpod]

Well, if you want all those things but don't mind the cold winters...
ITHACA, NY is the place for you!
There is a wonderful homeschooling/unschooling scene here! There are cooperative learning circles/programs of all sorts. It's culturally rich, tons of nature/hiking very very close, med-size town (not too big or small), great community sense, great place to raise kids (lots of extra-curricular programs/activities and play area/gardens/etc), and generally just a wonderful place to be
We love it here!
You just have to be able to deal with the cheezy motto: "ITHACA IS GORGES!!!" lol

[julesmiel]

Future Ithacan here. Our house at White Hawk Ecovillage is under construction right now. We love Ithaca for the reasons Twopeaedpod mentioned and White Hawk in particular because when complete, we'll have 30 households around a central recreation area on 120 acres. This means our kids will be able to walk from house to house, roam freely, and live in the midst of folks who are generally enthusiastic about having kids around and part of daily life.

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by Needle in the Hay

Ah I see I am not the only unschooling parent with Oregon envy. And coming from Switzerland I doubt the CoL would seem high to us. This is going a bit OT, but... how is the skiing in Oregon? It would seem to me that it would be great but I'm wondering how close ski areas would be to cities like Portland, Corvallis, etc.

Skiing is excellent, in fact the US Olympic Ski team trains on Mt. Hood (about 30 min. from Portland). Also, there's great skiing between here (Corvallis) and Bend. Within about two hours of Corvallis, there's at least half a dozen ski areas, and another bunch about 3.5 hours away, down by Ashland.

Hope that helps!

:

[Whistler]

Originally Posted by BabyMae09

Skiing is excellent, in fact the US Olympic Ski team trains on Mt. Hood (about 30 min. from Portland). Also, there's great skiing between here (Corvallis) and Bend. Within about two hours of Corvallis, there's at least half a dozen ski areas, and another bunch about 3.5 hours away, down by Ashland.

Hope that helps!

:

Geesh, you guys are making me want to move to Oregon! And I love where I am!

Originally Posted by Niamh

I live in southern Idaho. Not the best for unschooling support, for sure.

I'd love to go to Oregon if it weren't for land prices - we need land. I'm jealous that you could be moving there!

Well, you get a "yay for Idaho unschooling" from me.

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by julesmiel

Future Ithacan here. Our house at White Hawk Ecovillage is under construction right now. We love Ithaca for the reasons Twopeaedpod mentioned and White Hawk in particular because when complete, we'll have 30 households around a central recreation area on 120 acres. This means our kids will be able to walk from house to house, roam freely, and live in the midst of folks who are generally enthusiastic about having kids around and part of daily life.

See, now THAT"S what I want, here in the Corvallis area

[umami_mommy]

the area around asheville NC has everything you are looking for. asheville itself is expensive, but he area around is less so.

ithaca is COLD!! and i don't really see NY as being very unschooling friendly. we are RUers. and while there are plenty of people in my area who say they unschool, radical unschooling is not only rare, it's usually judged as bad parenting... even by people who unschool. (which i haven't found many people who actually unschool) and the paperwork requirement for HS in NY is a big fat PITA!

i conducted a serious search last year and asheville is what i came up with. it's our long term goal.

a friend that lives in san antonio TX would say that they also have everything you are looking for. she loves it and never wants to move again. (too hot for us)

[Needle in the Hay]

Originally Posted by BabyMae09

Skiing is excellent, in fact the US Olympic Ski team trains on Mt. Hood (about 30 min. from Portland). Also, there's great skiing between here (Corvallis) and Bend. Within about two hours of Corvallis, there's at least half a dozen ski areas, and another bunch about 3.5 hours away, down by Ashland.

Hope that helps!

That does help, thanks!!

[cottonwood]

I don't know if I could ever get my husband to move so far away from our family, but Ithaca sounds awesome to me. What is the farming/industry situation there? -- in addition to liberal and inexpensive, I'm looking for clean air. Also, anybody know how to find out how many sun days there are a year?

[claddaghmom]

What about somewhere warmer and closer to the ocean? Along SC, NC, FL?

[umami_mommy]

Originally Posted by fourlittlebirds

I don't know if I could ever get my husband to move so far away from our family, but Ithaca sounds awesome to me. What is the farming/industry situation there? -- in addition to liberal and inexpensive, I'm looking for clean air. Also, anybody know how to find out how many sun days there are a year?

just about anything you wanted to know about a community can be found at "city-data.com"

http://www.city-data.com/city/Ithaca-New-York.html