Why live in a small town like South Boston or Clarksville? I asked some people who have moved here from big cities.
1. People are friendlier. While Holly Stadtler made some friends in bigger cities, she knows more of her neighbors in Clarksville. “I feel like it’s easier to borrow a car, borrow a shower if the plumbing is out, bum a ride, ask for someone to pick up a grocery item or let the dog out when we’re gone all day,”
2. Traffic is light. When I go back to Washington, I am shell-shocked. The only traffic jam here is when the train goes through South Boston.
3. Things are less expensive. I know many people who can work from home via broadband Internet, saving on rent or mortgages and taxes they had to pay in a big city. We used to take our car here for repairs because they were more expensive in an urban area.
4. Online ordering. We may not have a Costco or a Whole Foods, but you can get just about anything you want on Amazon or other online retailers. It will be delivered to your door.
5. Safety. “The biggest advantage to me is the sense of safety and security,” says a Clarksville resident. Yes, you might meet a bear, but probably not a dangerous man.
6. Scenery. If you do have to commute, a drive through Southside is a lot prettier than the Washington Beltway. Says Sharon Satterfield of Oak Level, “There is nothing better than taking a drive down country roads to enjoy the beauty of fall or spring.”
7. Health: “The slow pace is better on our stress level,” says Alejandra Martinez of Cluster Springs.“We have those amazing farmers’ markets where we can stock up on fresh produce where you actually know and are friends with the people who grew it.”
8. Volunteer and cultural activities. You can be a big fish in a small pond if you are an actor, musician, artist or organizer. It’s much easier to get something started than in a big city.
9. Central location. They aren’t very close, but you are only a few hours’ drive from the ocean, the mountains, Raleigh-Durham, an international airport, Duke’s fine medical center and six Atlantic Coast Conference college sports teams.
Familiarity. If you go to a restaurant, The Prizery or the Clarksville Community Theater, you are almost sure to find someone you know. That wouldn’t happen to locals visiting the Kennedy Center or DPAC in Durham. In fact, people are so familiar that recent arrivals have trouble getting used to friends and service people just showing up and knocking on the door. “We’re here!“
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