Travel has been a part of my life from a very young age. It has forced me to relocate time and time-again, adapting to new surroundings, finding new excitement, and creating an adventurous life for me that makes it hard for me to settle anywhere for long. But one exception to that rule is South Portland, Maine, the place that I call home.
If you are from the U.S. like myself, you may have a better understanding of what it is like to live in rural and urban areas of this country. Cities have the amenities, while country-side has the laid-back vibes and beautiful landscapes. There isn't a whole lot of in-between here, especially on the east coast. Portland, to me, is the perfect city to live on the outskirts of. It has one of the highest amounts of bars/restaurants per square mile of any city in the U.S. yet it also is one of the least congested and traffic free cities. Living in South Portland provides we with greater access to BOTH the city and rural surrounding areas, such as the beautiful beaches in Cape Elizabeth, the rolling farms in Gorham, or unequalled lakes of Windham to name a few, all within 5-30mins.
Another great advantage is that most cities on the east coast were designed hundreds of years ago, and so it has a mixed variety of all amenities wherever you go in the city. Where-as in the mid-west and west coasts, construction is often sprawling and completely new, requiring you to drive anytime that you need to do something.
South Portland (SP) is also known for it's amount of waterfront, which used to be home to a large naval shipyard, but is now mostly occupied by the second-largest oil port/oil tank storage on the entire east coast. The proximity to the sea is essential for me, on any given day you might find me in a number of different "lookouts", gazing at the calming sea, rocky islands and lighthouses, or rising skyline of Portland.
What makes South Portland the best place to call home though, are the people here. Maine is notorious for people looking to escape the city hustle/grind, and this is a great place to do that. SP is full of blue-collar workers who like to see what they did at the end of the day. People with a dream of a simpler living standard, where they don't need everything that the world has, only a few good friends and a small purpose that has meaning, and that is what I have found here. I haven't been everywhere, and I'm sure that wherever you are, wherever you call home, it has a similar meaning to you, but I just found mine here!
If you are from the U.S. like myself, you may have a better understanding of what it is like to live in rural and urban areas of this country. Cities have the amenities, while country-side has the laid-back vibes and beautiful landscapes. There isn't a whole lot of in-between here, especially on the east coast. Portland, to me, is the perfect city to live on the outskirts of. It has one of the highest amounts of bars/restaurants per square mile of any city in the U.S. yet it also is one of the least congested and traffic free cities. Living in South Portland provides we with greater access to BOTH the city and rural surrounding areas, such as the beautiful beaches in Cape Elizabeth, the rolling farms in Gorham, or unequalled lakes of Windham to name a few, all within 5-30mins.
Another great advantage is that most cities on the east coast were designed hundreds of years ago, and so it has a mixed variety of all amenities wherever you go in the city. Where-as in the mid-west and west coasts, construction is often sprawling and completely new, requiring you to drive anytime that you need to do something.
South Portland (SP) is also known for it's amount of waterfront, which used to be home to a large naval shipyard, but is now mostly occupied by the second-largest oil port/oil tank storage on the entire east coast. The proximity to the sea is essential for me, on any given day you might find me in a number of different "lookouts", gazing at the calming sea, rocky islands and lighthouses, or rising skyline of Portland.
What makes South Portland the best place to call home though, are the people here. Maine is notorious for people looking to escape the city hustle/grind, and this is a great place to do that. SP is full of blue-collar workers who like to see what they did at the end of the day. People with a dream of a simpler living standard, where they don't need everything that the world has, only a few good friends and a small purpose that has meaning, and that is what I have found here. I haven't been everywhere, and I'm sure that wherever you are, wherever you call home, it has a similar meaning to you, but I just found mine here!