What makes a city likeable?

Over the past six years I have lived in five different cities ranging from a population of approximately 10,700 to 2,099,450. Each time I have moved, someone has asked me “how do you like insert city?” Most of the time I just say it is okay. What do they want me to say?

When I think about the cities I have enjoyed the most, the city itself has little to do with it. Malls, clubs, cultural events, et cetera have very little to do with how I have felt about a city. It has always been about the relationships I was able to build that made my time in a particular place enjoyable. I look forward to visiting certain cities because that’s where my friends live and we had fun doing some of everything.

There are some places I dread going to, such as my hometown, because I don’t have close friendships with anyone there. Some people who get excited about going home but that is not me. As long as I can talk to my mom when I want to I am satisfied.

Recently I moved to the capital city of my home state and I have not been impressed to stay. Mostly because I haven’t built the type of friendships (or any at all) I had in other cities. Starting from scratch with relationships is probably the toughest part about moving around but that doesn’t deter me. I have my sights on a new city in the near future. Hopefully I will meet some Cajuns and Creoles that will welcome me and I will fall in love with a city!